Updates: 1998 1999 2000

October 31,1998

Junior went in for surgery at 8:00 am on October 29. He was admitted and we went back in to a little playroom and waited for all the paper work to be completed. A nurse came in and got his vital signs, I put his little blue hospital gown and socks on and waited.

The anesthesiologist came in at about 9:00 and explained that they would use gas to put him to sleep. Once he was asleep they would put a breathing tube down his throat and start an IV. After the surgery he was to be given a caudal block to help with the pain. A nurse came in and we finnished with all the paperwork.

The Doctor showed up at about 9:20 to see if we had any questions. He told us it would take about 2 1/2 hours for him to do his part. He checked Jr's feet again and decided to do the left one first and off he went to get ready. We all gave Junior a kiss and a hug and I handed him over to a O.R. nurse at about 9:35. Hubby and I went out to the waiting room with everyone else. We got paged at 10 till 10. Surgery was underway.

We waited and waited...seemed like forever. The men went and smoked numerous ciggarettes and us women went to the gift shop to kill time. His Grandmas got him one of those little signature puppies that everyone has to sign and a Big Bird© (his favorite) among other things...you know how grandmas are! I found him a stuffed Buggs Bunny© that I couldn't resist 8›)

At 12:15 The Doctor came out and said everything went great, even better than he expected!!! He told us he was able to correct it with a heel cord release. He explained to us how things should go for the next few hours...groggy, possible fever, fussiness...that sort of stuff. He told us that he split the cast to allow for swelling and that he would be by at about 7:30 the following morning to check up on him and see about releasing him.

We went back to the waiting room. Hubby called a few people and before we knew it a lady came and told us he would be in room 592 in a few minutes and that we could go on up. Needless to say..i was at the front of the pack-Speed walking 8›) We got to the room and within 15 minutes a nurse came in carrying a very groggy Junior. She handed him to me and said that I might want to hold him for a while because everytime they laid him down he would cry...I didn't argue.

I took my child into my arms and sat down to talk to him. His eyelids were so heavy but he kept trying to stay awake. When he opened his eyes the third time he tried his best to grin. Made my day! about 15 minutes later he was softly cooing and responding to our voices.

Less than an hour later I laid him on the bed to fix the sheet that was wrapped around him and the little stinker rolled over and was trying to get up on his hands an knees. He's one tough cookie!

That night was a LONG night. I was up and down all night with him. He was given Tylenol with Codeine for the pain every 4 hours. We walked the halls and sat together watching tv nearly all night.

The Doctor showed up at 6:50 to check on Junior. he said that everything looked great. He wrapped the cast again to keep it from splitting once we got home, went over everything again about cast care and was soon off to fill out the paperwork for Junior's release.

Before we left I asked that Junior be weighed...I was curious as to how much the cast weighed...he weighs 17 1/2 pounds now...2 1/2 more than before the surgery!

We were on the road before 8:00..God how I love that doctor!

November 9, 1998

Junior has a real problem sleeping and eating now. He does little of both. sleeping however is the more extreme of the two. He sleeps in 2 to 3 hours spurts with 2 to 3 hours of restlessness in between. We had originally thought that the medicines might be causing this but he is no longer on them and the problems continue.

November 15, 1998

Junior had his second surgery on November 12th. We arrived at the hospital at 5:30 am after another sleepless night. Hubby had worked the night before and I was up all night with a _very_ hungry 7 month old. You know the routine...nothing to eat after midnight.
Formalities were the same this time around. We were sent back into the same playroom and filled out the same paperwork.

The Anesthesiologist came in and went over his procedure...junior would be put to sleep with a combination of gases. Once asleep, a breathing tube would be inserted and an IV started. The only difference this time was that there would be no caudal block...BIG MISTAKE!

The Doctor came in and talked to us for a few minutes before heading off to prepare. We gave Junior hugs and kisses. An OR nurse carried him away.

We went back to the waiting room and waited, and waited, and waited... we got the call at 8:45 that surgery was underway and Junior was doing great. Once again, The Doctor was right on schedule. At about 11:10 he came out and told us that everything went great. He was able to cast the right foot straight as well. Junior was on his way to room 570.

Junior did not handle it as well this time around...I think that the lack of caudal block had a lot to do with it. He screamed and screamed, nothing would calm him down. A nurse came in and gave him some Morphine. He was so upset that they were unable to get a blood pressure or a temperature reading. About an hour later he finally gave up with the help of the Morphine and was sleeping. He continued to fuss and cry all day and into the night. Nothing really worked except walking him through the halls, not an easy task when you have to keep his foot propped above his heart while pushing an IV stand.

The Doctor came by at about 9:15 the following morning to check on Junior and fill out the release papers. We asked him about the restlessness. He told us that when he changed the casting from the previous surgery he had noticed a sore on Junior's foot...caused from the cast rubbing him the wrong way. He told us that he wanted to see us in a week and that if the restlessness was still occurring then he wanted to change the casts to make sure that the sore was not getting any worse and to make sure that the right foot was healing properly.

He went over the routine about swelling and fever... particularly swelling because Junior's had not gone down any yet. He explained that we had to watch the swelling closely because if the swelling got too bad and the cast became to tight that the blood flow could be interrupted, cutting off oxygen to his foot. He went to fill out the necessary paperwork and we were on the road by 10:30.

Swelling and fever have continued to be a problem. His fever got as high as 101° at one point. With the first surgery it never went above 99°. The sleeplessness continues. The swelling has not began to go down despite the fact his foot is propped up for most of the day and all of the night.

November 20, 1998

Junior went back to the hospital today. We arrived at 5:20 ...went through the usual routine with the paperwork and such. The Doctor came in and spoke to us and Jr was smiling and laughing at him the whole time he was there...I think it kinda tickled him 8›) We handed him over to the nurse at 7:25 (procedure scheduled at 7:30...this Doctor is soooo great!) Junior was put to sleep so that the casts could be changed. There was no need for an IV or anything this time and everything went smooth. We were on the road by 8:40 WOW... We are due back in 4 weeks for the next cast change...no anesthesia will be needed then.

December 16, 1998

Junior went in today at 11:15. The pins were removed and his casts were changed. It looked painful, but he didnt seem any more upset than usual for a cast change. I got a good look at his new feet! They looked so much different that it's hard to believe that they are the same tiny feet. They look nothing like they did before. They were so straight. Perfect.