A Successful Venture

We ventured out to the Children's Hospital yesterday morning and arrived there at 8:00 AM. We checked in at the Day Care Surgery desk and moved into the Waiting Room/Play Area. And what a waiting room it is. Comfy seats, a video playing on a flat-screen TV, tons of table games and crafts, even a couple of folks who come in and help out with the arts and crafts.

After a while a nurse called Alexey's name and interviewed us. Then she handed us a set of hospital pajamas for Alexey in what she laughingly called salmon colour. We got Alexey into the pajamas and went back to the waiting room.

At about 10:50, we went back to see the nurse and she gave Alexey his pre-meds, a little something to loosen him up. About fifteen minutes later, we carried him to the operating room area. John got all dressed up in a gown, booties, and a mask and carried Alexey into the operating room. Then he held Alexey's hand and head while an OR nurse and the anesthesiologist got him ready for the surgery. John left after they put Alexy to sleep with sleeping gas.

After some anxious moments waiting together, the surgeon came to tell us that everything went well and that Alexey was on his way to the recovery room. After a little while, Monika was allowed to go in to be with Alexey in recovery.

Soon, all of us were whisked back to the Day Care Surgery area and into a room with four beds in it. Alexey was snoozing peacefully, with intermittent attempts at activity. When he was awake, he drank a whole baby bottle full of apple juice. The he downed his first popsicle ever in about two minutes, faster than either Mama or Dada could eat one. About twenty minutes later, he ate a second one, also in record time.

After being discharged, we went home and Alexey put his head down for a short three-hour nap, from 3:30 until 6:30. Then he ate dinner and had a three-hour post-dinner nap until it was time to get changed to go to bed for real.

This morning, Alexey was a little out of sorts, but ate his breakfast and stayed up for a while, crawling around on the floor and doing many of his usual activities. After lunch, he stayed up for another four hours before needing a nap.

So, it turns out that the surgery hardly fazed Alexey at all. He just took it in stride. Now, if Mama and Dada had only been able to do the same....

Our heartfelt thanks to all who expressed their concern and kept us in their thoughts and prayers.

Back in Time

We have some pictures and stories of events that happened over the last month or so, including stories of the Christmas holidays. We will be backdating some posts over the next few days so the pictures and stories appear in order. If we wait much longer to do this, someone will have to carbon-date the pictures instead.

So please don't think that your eyes are going or that you're slowly losing your mind, wondering how you missed some earlier posts.

Big Day Coming Up

Alexey is due to have a small operation on Tuesday at 10:00 AM at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), here in Ottawa.

Alexey visited with an anesthesiologist today (Monday) to make sure that everything was clear for the surgery.

We have to be at the hospital at 8:00 AM so the nurses and doctors can prepare Alexey for his surgery. One suspects that this is also to prepare Mama and Dada for the surgery.

This procedure is what they call a "day care surgery", so he should be back home late in the afternoon, once the effects of the general anesthaesia have worn off.

Please keep him and us in your thoughts and prayers as we face another challenge together.