surgery

What a crazy week it's been so far. Saturday night I was in the ER finding out I need gallbladder surgery. Monday we were at Children's getting an ultrasound for Eli and found out he needed surgery, too.

I had a feeling it would go that direction, but I was surprised they wanted to do it immediately. They sent us right from the Close to Home center directly to Children's and admitted us. I was hoping they'd do it that night, but they decided he needed to be on fluids overnight and they'd do the surgery in the morning. Well, that was okay, except poor Eli had been fasting for his ultrasound, so he hadn't eaten since 10am. He was already two feedings late at that point and he was so hungry and sad. They said he couldn't eat all night! I couldn't believe it. I was in tears with him. Watching him cry hungry was the worst. I just couldn't believe they let him go 30 hours without food... by the time the surgery was over and 3 more hours had passed.

hungry baby

I thought I was mentally prepared for the surgery, but it turned out I was a wreck. When they came to the room to take us down to surgery, I started crying and then by the time we got down there, I had calmed down. But then when they brought in the little face mask to put him to sleep with to show me it smelled like cherry, I started crying again. Then when they finally took him away from me, I was so upset. The nurse put him on her shoulder and walked away down a long hall, so I could see him looking back at me over her shoulder and crying. It was so sad. I wanted so much for it to be over, but I was so afraid to send him back there. I was thinking all kinds of irrational thoughts about never seeing him again. The wait in the waiting room was torture but luckily it was only just over an hour before the doctor came to tell us he was doing fine.

sleeping so peacefully after surgery

He slept most of the afternoon and then fussed most of the evening. I felt so bad for him because he was so tired, mostly drug-induced, I think, and then he was only allowed to have a little tiny amount of formula to eat and he was SO hungry. He slept well overnight though and by morning he seemed like a different baby! He was content with the 3oz we had worked up to and wanted to play and coo and smile. We left the hospital by 10am, stopped to eat, and came home and we all three took naps.

getting ready to go home

I had to wake him last night to feed him every three hours, so I'm hoping maybe there's a chance we'll start sleeping a little longer soon! It was all really difficult, but I'm so glad it's over and I can't wait for my little dude to start feeling normal and not having so many belly issues.