Pre-Op

Now that surgery is over and the WORST part of recovery is hopefully behind us, I can actually sit down and reflect on the good parts of this "trip" over the mountains.  Even though some (most) of them are bad, we DID make some memories while over here. Since the purpose of blogging for me is to keep track of our memories and then print them out to keep...I guess I cannot skip over this little hiccup in our every day life. 

 Starting on Wednesday of last week, Ethan had been coughing and had a yucky nose.  I had just determined that he was ALLERGIC to surgery since this was our THIRD attempt at getting his surgery done.  The first time it was cancelled because he had a cough, the second time we didn't even go to Seattle because he had an ear infection, and this time...of course he got sick AGAIN!!!  Todd on the other hand, did NOT give up.  He was going to bring Ethan to this hospital even if he was coughing up a lung....SERIOUSLY!!  But since I bugged him enough, he called Children's Hospital on Sunday and let them know that Ethan had been sick and asked their opinion on bringing him over.  WELL everyone had a different opinion, but essentially it was our choice.  Being that it was half way through Sunday and I had yet to pack anything....I was planning to stay home.  TODD was planning to come over and MAKE them send us back if Ethan was too sick.  SOOO we packed up, dropped of Emersyn at Grandma Judy's, and headed over the mountains.  Ethan arrived at the hotel FULL of energy and ready to run.  We had to find something for him to do or else he would have torn the room apart...piece by piece!!!

 We decided to go and walk around the beautiful grounds of the hotel where we were staying.  Ethan found lots of "flowers" to pick.  He was so cute...he would pick them and then run over and hand them to us like he had done something wonderful. 

 He REALLY wanted to take a dip in the lake, but SOMEHOW the two of us BOTH kept him on dry land.  I love watching Ethan and Todd walking together...they are like twins when they walk. 

 Except with Ethan walking ALWAYS turns into running!!!

 We WORE HIM OUT and then took him back inside for bed.  We were SUPER surprised that he slept through the night and woke up pretty happy.  BUT of course I was still under the belief that he would NOT get approved for surgery.  I was mentally prepared to lose out on this one!!

 Monday we spent most of the afternoon in appoinments and more appointments.  Everyone thought he looked great (even with a boogery nose), but essentially the only person who mattered was the anestesiaologist--who was not there.  A different anestesiologist came and took a listen and told us he was confident that Ethan would do fine, but that really we had to decide if we wanted to take the extra risk....blah!!!

 We decided to go as if everything was fine...and let the doctors decide on Tuesday.  SOOO we got up bright and early and headed off to surgery. 

 Ethan was such a trooper.  He could not ear or drink anything...AND we woke up around 5, so he had lots of reasons to be mad...but he wasnt't.  He was just as cute and cuddley as could be. 

 I am so glad we took some before pictures because as soon as surgery was over...he would NEVER look the same again. 

 I was SUPER anxious to see his new look, but not quite ready to say goodbye to the old face that I have loved for a whole year.  I loved the little ridge down the middle of his forehead.  I loved the little baby boy look of his small head.  I LOVE this boy in a way that is FOR EVER...no matter what shape his head is.

 He QUICKLY lost his happy thoughts when the doctor tools came out.  He HATES stethoscopes, thermometers, ear checkers, and any other doctor tool that heads his way. 

 He clung to me and watched Elmo and pouted most of the morning. 

 And he FOR SURE did not want me to take a picture of his signed head:)  He was soon singing a different tune though after they gave him some "happy" drugs.  He was all smiles and giggles:)

Then the anesthesiologist came in with her pumpkin hat and iphone and he went right to her.  All she had to do was hand over her iphone and sing a little Old McDonald and Wheels on the Bus and he went right into her arms and down the hall.  Right after I kissed his cute ridged little forehead and patted his narrow little head goodbye.  Those 5 seconds have to be the HARDEST 5 seconds of my life.  Those last moments as they take your baby and disappear down the hall....I am glad to NEVER have to go through that again.  But then of course that was REALLY the easy part...because as we all know everything tends to get worse before it gets better right...