Carter is SIX MONTHS OLD--time truly does fly. Since his surgery was ON his 6 month birthday, we took these photos on the 24th (the day before). He is sitting up, mostly on his on now and unless he's playing with his toes he refuses to stay on his back. He immediately rolls over and pushes up. He is rocking back and forth and can make a little progress towards favorite toys (preferrably ones that sing or make noise). He loves bath time now that he can sit up and splash. He enjoys squirty toys and rubber duckies. Eyes are still blue on most days, but I've thought they were brown and even green on others. He is so lovey...hugs and snuggles right in and really lands big ol' smackeroos on ya. Havent started real food yet because he wouldnt be allowed any after surgery for 2 weeks so we decided not to start and then stop food (one less thing for him to "miss" after surgery). He had his 1st ear infection in May as well and had to be on Amoxil for the 10 days prior to surgery--YUCK:( He was 29 inches long and 18 lbs 10 ozs!!!! Info about surgery below...Enjoy the photos in his 6 month onesie!
Carter sitting up in his 6 month onesie...with the help of Boppy
His BIG smile:)
Sitting Up without the support of Boppy
Getting ready to ROLL over to belly
Stopping to play with my pigs...one of my favorite pasttimes!
He talks to his little piggies..its a riot!
The bittersweet day of surgery---we waited for it to come but hated to see it. As Dr. Losee says, "we have no other option." Both sets of grandparents, Josh, Carter and I ate at Joes' Crab SHack in Station Square and then went swimming at the Holiday Inn (Thanks, Debb) (we stayed the night before the surgery there as we had to be to the hosp at 6AM). Swimming was super fun..enjoyed it a lot more than the first time in Cleveland. It wore him out! After swimming we took a quick bath, ate a late night snack and he fell asleep between Josh and I. I woke him at 3:45 to eat as 4:00AM was allowed to be his last real food pre-op.
Soon after arriving at the hospital, Terry & Darlene's pastor and Pastor Don arrived. THen we were quickly taken back for an exam. Pastor Don prayed with all of us. After the initial exam, we were invited to wait in play room, where our family and pastors joined us for the next hour or so. After the anestesialogist met with us, things moved quickly. Terry and Darlene's pastor prayed with us all and Josh and I walked down the hall with the anestesiologist and soon thereafter handed Carter off...and bawled. ugh.
We were then shown to the surgical waiting room to check in, one of us had to remain in that room at all times. We headed back to that playroom to get our family and baggage...as we passed the pre-op nurses station, Grandma Darlene heard one say, "now that's a support system." All I can say is...AMEN!
Then the WAIT begain...in the surgical waiting room there is a large screen where patient numbers are listed and a code listed beside that so that parents/family can keep tabs on what stage of surgery your little one is in. Carter's number was 7115...and throughout the duration, his number had a mysterious highlighted box around it. It made it easy to discern it from the multitude of numbers, but no one there could explain why there was a box around it....so I decided it was because Carter was so special...DUH. During the wait, I had two anxious moments...1st, about 2 hours into the surgery I had this overwhelming feeling that soon someone would be coming to talk to us, but I knew that his surgery was to last 4-6 hours so that made me anxious...well, withing 2 minutes a woman came up to us and said, "You're Carter's parents? I'm coming to let you know that Dr. Losee says that everything is going perfect and according to plan." WHEW. yeah. Then around 11:30, approaching 3.5 hours of surgery at this point, Josh decided to go get us lunch because the paperwork says that parents should eat a snack before coming to see their child in recovery...while he was gone I had a mini breakdown. It was just my mom and I in the waiting room...and I had that feeling again...that something was happening with Carter. Josh returned, we just started opening our sandwiches and in struts Dr. Losee...proud as a peacock to tell us that everything went perfect and according to plan! Praise the Lord!!!!!!!!!! Some details: if he eats and wets diapers by tomorrow, Carter can go home, we need to clean his incision and nose with a 50/50 mix of peroxide/saline every 2-4 hours and dress with a thin layer of antibiotic cream. He had hundreds of stitches unseen and a silicon tube in his nose that is stitched through the septum to a silicon stint in the other nostril that he would LIKE to stay in for a couple months-ugh. The reason for this: the nose is mostly cartilage not bone, so it doesnt always stay where it's set. Carter is in no-nos (velcro braces that inhibit his elbows from bending keeping him from touching his mouth or putting foreign object in it). However, the best part--Carter can eat from the same bottles that he has been using and may start upon waking:) He thought we'd be able to see him in about 30 mins...so we woofed down our food and waited...when 1:00PM rolled around Josh and I were ushered back to the recovery room.
This may have been the one of the ONLY portions of Children's that disappointed me. In recovery his nurse was watching 2 children as they were recovery from the effects of anestesthia. She was also on the phone to obtain a replacement b/c her own son injured himself the Friday before and needed to be taken to the ER? Weird I thought. but I heard that conversation while we stood by Carter's bedside. She was not the friendliest woman NOR did she communicate with us beyond a few grunts. Not to mention that Carter was restless, swollen and in and out of conscienceness. I was bawling at this point...feelings of guilt that I'd put him through this, overwhelming joy because it looked amazing and he would someday be so thankful, and anxiety because I just wanted him to wake up and see us there to welcome him.
Thank goodness, soon thereafter we were taken to his room on the C wing of the 7th floor. Again, his main nurse, Dee, was a bit of a disappointment. I seriously felt like I was telling her what to do based on what Dr. Losee told Josh and I (and our moms) immediately following surgery. UGH. Thankfully, her shift ended at 7PM and Shelly (her replacement) was AMAZINGLY kind, gentle and compassionate:) I'm forgetting to mention that Josh's sister, Tricia and his mom's parents (Grandma and Grandpa Dye) came while we were in the surgical waiting room, too. Later my brothers and sisters-in-law came down, too. He was SOMEWHAT awake when they were down, but he was pretty swollen and eyes were like slits. I'm not including any of the pix that I took in the hospital, but I did document that Carter's swelling and appearance changed by the hour! I was expecting him to look worse, though, so that was a MOST PLEASANT surprise!! He still hasnt really bruised, and by today (Saturday) he's barely swollen!
THat night he slept except when Shelly had to come clean the incision or give him baby Tylenol...I figured he was getting Tylenol with Codeine but not my tough guy! My mom stayed at the hospital and held him from 10-2 and again from 5:30-6:30 when my dad came back to get her to go get some sleep at the hotel. I held him from 2am-5:30 on THE most uncomfortable rocking chair in the world. I dont know about Kren, but my butt fell asleep and my back is still out of whack---but it was worth it to hold my little boy:)
ok--I'll try to wrap up--when I woke back up at 6:30, so did Carter and FINALLY he was himself!!! He played with his balloon, caterpiller, Toucan and Scout and smiled that beautiful new smile for us:) By 11AM, he was released and we were on our way home by 2PM.
Since being home, Carter has done very well. He went on a bit of a hunger strike, which after coming up with a game plan with his surgical team in case in continued, we decided that he was having trust issues. We had been coming at him with an antibiotic, baby tylenol AND cleaning/dressing the incision, so he wasnt so sure that the bottle was REALLY the bottle:( Poor fella. Finally, we determined that if we left him see, hold and guide the Bah-bah to his mouth that he willingly will eat. He's sleeping just fine and playing and smiling a ton! He is back to his usual antics and wants to snuggle so badly...which we have to hold him off so he doesnt touch his lip or nose on us:( I CANNOT WAIT TO REALLY HUG AND KISS HIM!!!!!!
He has his first check up on TUesday, June 1st....hopefully it's healing as Dr. Losee wants, but I couldnt be more thrilled with the results! Thank you ALL for all of your prayers, thoughts and get-well wishes! Carter is doing WONDERFULLY!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!
Day of Surgery...this is about 6AM...he is ALWAYS so HAPPY
This is Carter the next day after surgery playing with Balloon from Great-Grandma & Grandpa Dye
He's pretty swollen, but HAPPY and ready to play.
Outdoor bath at home after surgery...this is two days after surgery!
Aunt Lauren, Uncle Kevin & Gavin got Carter SCOUT as a post-op surprise...he is THE coolest pet! He says Carter's name and even sings Kevin's favorite "Muffin Man" and many other tunes with Carter's name and favorites included. Carter is really enjoying toys that make noise & music...loves the fishbowl from Aunt Carole now, too!!
This is Carter 2 days after surgery...Pretty impressive. There are some stitches on the inside of his lip and he'll wear the silicon tube in his nose to support the cartilage until it takes the correct form (up to a couple months) but all I can say is that pictures DO NOT do this justice...he looks SO much better than this. Eyes are still blue on some days and green on others:)
