Brandon's Surgery

Brandon had his surgery yesterday. We had to get up at 4 am and be up in Springs by six. We did okay until we got to the hospital and then couldn't find where to go and there wasn't anybody on duty at the front desk. A flight nurse happened by and showed us where to go. It was a good thing we took into account for getting lost and left enough time. Once we were checked in, Scott's brother-in-law Louie and the assistant pastor at his church, who had driven up, came into the room and said a prayer for Brandon. After they left we sat around the room for a little while and watched tv until it was time for the surgery. The surgery was scheduled for 7:30 and they came and got him right on time. They only allowed one parent in the operating room so Scott went in with Brandon until he was asleep, which took like five minutes, and then he was back in the room to wait with me. They told us the surgery was going to take about an hour because the doctor thought there were two small hernias. Scott had taken off to go find some food and he hadn't even gotten back to the room yet when the doctor came in and said they were done. It had only been maybe a half hour. He said there was only one hernia after all, just a lot of fat pushed through. The hole itself was probably only maybe a few centimeters big. So I went to recovery before Scott even got back to the room. The nurse said that Brandon would probably sleep for awhile because they gave him twice the amount of anethesia since they thought he would be in longer, but Brandon started coming around when he heard my voice. At first he was okay and was drinking some juice but then he started getting sick. They gave him some medicine for the pain and nausea but he just wasn't tolerating anything well. Since his vitals were good we left recovery and they took us back to the room where Scott was waiting. There we tried to get him to hold some liquid down. He was just so tired and had so much anethesia in him, plus running a slight fever, that he just felt crummy. He wanted to go home but we knew he would be so miserable riding home for an hour when he was feeling so sick. They finally gave him some different medicine that they use as a last resort because it causes the patient to fall asleep but that is what he needed. Brandon was afraid that if he fell asleep they would do more surgery. The meds kicked in quickly and he went to sleep. The problem was that as he slept his oxygen stats kept dropping below 87 which would set off the alarms and a nurse would call and see if we needed something. I spent an hour watching the monitor and waking him up enough to take deep breaths to keep his stats up until he woke up enough to stay awake. Besides the kink in my neck from looking up at the monitor, it worked wonders. Once we got him to stay awake and get dressed, he said he felt much better and he was acting more like himself. The nurses had given him a blanket and a bear to make him feel safer and he told the nurse he was going to give his bear to Jessie when he got home so the nurse gave him another one to give to her so he could keep his. Once we hit the car, he immediately wanted to go get food. Amazing because an hour ago he couldn't even stand eating a popsicle and now he was starving. He ate two fruit bars on the way home and half of a chicken sandwich when we got home. Jessie was so happy to have him home she couldn't stop watching him and mothering him. Then they both took naps. Jessie woke up at 5:30 when she realized brother was gone and made mom put in Shrek to watch because there wasn't anything good on tv that early so she was pretty tired too. He was still feeling a little bad last night with a low grade fever but this morning the fever was gone and he is just stiff and sore. The incision is only about 3/4 to a half of an inch long and covered with steri strips. The fun part is going to be keeping him calm and only doing quiet activities for a week. The surgeon told me good luck with that. He has to avoid gym and recess for a week and he is worried that he will get into trouble with the teachers for not taking gym. We keep telling him we have a note from the doctor so they won't be mad. All in all it went as well as it could have and at least it is all over and hopefully we will never have to do something like that again. I am so proud of him. He was so brave and strong through the whole thing. The nurses said they wish all their patients were like him, he never cried or anything, he just did what they told him to. Thank you for all the prayers. They were greatly appreciated.

North Pole Trip

Mom had a little money set aside for summer family trips so this year's vacation was going to the State Fair and the North Pole in Colorado Springs. The kids got to see all the free shows at the fair and the petting zoo and ride the ponies, which they always like. When we went to the North Pole, we didn't tell them where we were going so it would be a surprise. They were so excited. The first place we went was Santa's House. They were still a little overwhelmed and didn't talk much to Santa. Jessie said she wanted another doll house and Brandon wanted a real horse. Then we started on the rides. It is a good deal because you pay one price and can ride the rides all you want. Most of the rides are pretty mellow, which is the way the kids like it. Jessie and Brandon were able to ride on all of them together or with me and Scott. They were really liking it. There was only one ride they didn't like. Scott talked us into going on the Tilt-a-Whirl. They were not impressed with that one. Luckily that was one of the last so it didn't make them not want to ride any more. It did rain on us a few times. The first was no big deal. We just went into some of the gift shops while we waited it out. We told the kids one more ride and then we were going home and then it started to rain a second time. It downpoured on them during the ride and they had to stop it early. It wasn't a big deal because we were ready to go home anyway but the problem was that everyone in the park decided to go home also because it was an hour before the park closed anyway. It took us forever to get out and onto the main road because traffic was so bad. All in all it was a good day and a good way to end the summer and forget our troubles for a little while.

Brandon's surgery

Brandon had his preop appointment today. His surgery is set for next Friday, September 25 at 7:30AM. We have to be at the hospital at 6AM and since it is in Springs, we have to leave here at 5 which means getting up at like 4AM. Maybe we will be so tired we won't be as worried. Mom has offered to watch Jessie for us, and I am sure if she knew the time before hand she might have had second thoughts. At least she only has to walk over and hopefully Jessie will stay asleep for awhile so mom won't have to entertain her that early in the morning. The good thing is that Brandon should be released by 10:30 so we will be home for lunch and with any luck naps. I'll send another blog after the surgery and let everyone know how it went. lots of prayers.