During Ellie's surgery today, Will spent some time with a child life specialist in the playroom learning about the spica cast and his sister's surgery.
It was really great- she used play to teach and he absorbed so much I think.
Considering that I would have been crying the whole time, I think she made a much better teacher than I would about this!
I also think it will help everything to be less shocking to him when he first sees Ellie in a hour.
Together, they put a spica cast on a teddy bear which he kept & is so excited to give to Ellie.
He also played pretend Dr. Herring. He was funny answering his pager at the same time we were answering our real pager
He learned about anesthesia too - here he is pretending to give it to himself
Learning about spica
How many 3 year olds can use terms like "spica" and "anesthesia" and "surgery" correctly in a sentence?
Ellie - after her MRI & while being taken to our room:
Precious girl
(hot pink was the best I could do - no baby pink option)( no pastel options at all)
trying to comfort myself
I'm too tired to write much.
Thank you for praying for our Ellie girl.
Vitals are good.
She is having a hard time waking up due to being under anesthesia for so long (4 hrs)
She did wake briefly around 7pm
She didn't eat for 17 hours.
After I had a major breakdown about not being able to nurse her, she finally latched on & nursed briefly this evening. She has continued to try to nurse every 2 hours. I am so encouraged that nursing her, though difficult, is possible in spica. I am so relieved.
It is very difficult to get her into a position that is comfortable for both of us to feed her. It is very difficult to hold her comfortably. I hate not being able to comfort her easily. I hate that she is hurting immensely and I can not take away her pain.
We've switched her from morphine to tylenol with codeine.
We are learning diaper care and positioning.
We are beyond exhausted.
More tomorrow hopefully.
8 thoughts:
Glad to hear Ellie's surgery went well.
You can just wrap over that awful and gaudy hot pink with some pretty baby pink. Easy stuff. It'll take all of 5 minutes. They also have purple.
You can buy pastel pink and some other colors here:
http://www.petedge.com/product/Top-Performance-Pet-Bandaging-Tapes/47508.uts
It's a pet site, but it's the exact same stuff used on casts. (It's also used on pet casts and to cover bandages, since it's self-adhering and it forms a protective barrier).
This is the cheapest you'll find it (believe me -- I've looked!), as this is a wholesale site (cheaper than retail).
Hope Ellie recovers well!
I know you are exhausted and your heart is heavy. There are no words to magically get you through this time. I ache in my heart for you and for Ellie. I do. Praying that God sustains you step by step - every single minute of every single day.
I am so thankful for answered prayer, that she is able to sleep and now able to nurse. She is such a beautiful little baby. :)
I hope you got some rest.... or GET some rest. :)
Hugs!
So glad the surgery is over. I've been following your blog since before Ellie's birth. My daughter and I have prayed for your family frequently during the last few months. We will continue to do so. My daughter was a patient at Scottish Rite when she was a baby 21 years ago. As you know, it's a wonderful hospital. Will and Ellie couldn't have a better mommy looking out and caring for them. Hang in there.
RaLynda
I'm praying for you and Ellie right now.
Your Pittsburgh friends are here and praying! Thinking of all of you and hope you are doing OK...
I wish we could offer some comfort, but our words are the best we can do. Just know that Will and Ellie have friends out there they don't even know that care!!!!!
Hello, a friend gave me a link to your blog because our son recently had hip surgery and was in a spica cast for 9 weeks. My heart goes out to you because I know how hard it is to deal with. A must have for a spica is a Cast Cooler it is only $30 and worth every penny. My son cried nonstop for almost 2 weeks but when he had the cast cooler on he stopped like it was so soothing.
May God be with you and your family through this time. And get ready for the best biceps of your life!
oh, i think the hot pink is cute!! it shows ellie's spunk :) & oh my goodness, is she a beautiful baby! seriously - who looks good coming out of surgery??! little pink cheeks & everything! ellie - i'm totally jealous!
sending lots of love...
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