First Procedure - 7 Months Old

Friday: September 24, 2010

8:00am
6oz formula.

11:00am
4oz pear juice.

12:00pm
We checked into Rady's children hospital mentally but not completely emotionally prepared. I could not feed my daughter for 6 hours. This was the most disturbing part of the whole ordeal because I felt like I was being cruel, even though I know it was to prevent choking with vomiting under anesthesia.


1:00pm
Initially there was allot of confusion, one administrative personal had Franki scheduled with the wrong surgeon. Another thought we were in for some sort of dental surgery. Another said it was a CT scan and we would be in and out the same day. This did not help our anxiety in the least. We requested a meeting with her specialist Dr. Anthony Magit and he confirmed what we thought we were there for all along so our minds were put at rest.

2:00pm
A nurse came to get us and we were escorted into radiology. We chose to carry Franki over having her on a gurney. She was so alert looking at the cartoon stickers and smiling at everyone. She never cried once, instead she had a peace about her even though she had not eaten in 6 hours. A very nice nurse introduced herself and offered some words of comfort. We met the anesthesiologist and radiologist and they explained the procedure in detail. Dr. Dory injected (we counted the piercings) her 8 times through the throat and Dr. Magic injected her under the tongue.

Originally it was suggested we get the OK432 but her cysts were considered "micro" so a better choice would be an alcohol/detergent substance but after further inspection of the MRI and ultrasound, the doctors decided on an antibiotic fluid to avoid a three day draining period and excessive pain.

Her cysts were drained and then the antibiotic was injected into the areas and left in there to dissolve on its own.

3:00pm
One parent was called into recovery. I could not believe my eyes when I walked in. She was looking around, still not crying, she just seemed a bit ired but not nearly as horrified as she was when she came out of the MRI Anesthesia back in May. As soon as I picked her up and cuddled her she fell asleep on my chest. They monitored her for an hour and she drank a few sips of pedialite here and there.

4:10pm
We were escorted by a wonderful nurse to Franki's very own hospital room. She even had her name on the board and a sweet little crib bed. We brought her own blanket and pj's but I couldn't use them because they had attached feet and she had an oxygen monitor on her big toe (which fascinated her, she kept wanting to put the glowing red toe in her mouth) She felt allot better after she guzzled 6oz of formula.

7:00pm
Gigi and papa came to visit. Franki got plenty of hugs and kisses and gigi even bought her some pjs...without feet! So or precious little girl got cozy and out of the embarrassing backless hospital gown. We had to call the nurse in to see how active our little bug is, turning left then right, flipping onto her belly then back onto her back, doing 360 degree break dance moves. We requested the IV tubing be disconnected. If it wasn't disconnected we would have been watching her all night consistently untangeling her for fear of being strangled. Dr. Magic and the nurse agreed.

8:00pm
Exhausted, yet still completed unaffected by the days events, I curled into Franki's crib and she fell asleep on my chest. She slept well all night, only waking intermittently because of the strange lights and sounds of the hospital. I slept a bit here and there on the foldout chair but Franki's dad was up all night, without a wink of sleep watching her breathing and oxygen levels. He even posted on his Facebook account status: "...is sitting awake at 3:45 am in a hospital room watching his baby girl sleeping. There is no where I would rather be and nothing I would rather be doing."I decided that Saturday night I would let him sleep and I would stay up and watch her.

Saturday: September 25, 2010
9:00am
The nurses and doctors came into Franki's room and agreed she was doing well and cleared to go home. We couldn't believe how fortunate we were to be taking her home when we thought we would only be home by Monday! All prayers were answered!