Finally home

It seems like it took forever, but we were in and out of the hospital in barely over 24 hours. My sweet Sophie had her long dreaded foot surgery yesterday morning, and is now home. She's resting in a quiet house while the brothers are at school.

I had the hard task of carrying her back to the OR yesterday morning. About the only time I have heard her cry was when we started this trek. She's been so brave. I know that she was in good hands, but I really did not want to leave her lying there unconscious with all of those doctors. She's my baby. This surgery was scheduled to be at most 3.5 hours. They were operating on both feet/achilles tendons. After 2.5 hours, someone came to tell me that the left was done and they were starting the right. Immediately I knew that it was not following their desired plan. I was right. She was under for over 4 hours, and the left foot surgery was more invasive, going into the ankle joint and the fore foot to release tendons. Because the surgery went longer, there was more swelling and her doctor couldn't cast as tightly as desired (ie., she does not have walking casts). She's darn heavy too! In 7-10 days, we have to go back and basically repeat this insanity. She will be recasted then, assuming the swelling subsides. Unfortunately this must be done under general anesthesia again. Even if it's only 30 minutes, it is the ordeal to repeat. And the fear for her. Please, let this end.

I learned yesterday that I just don't want to be ill. Doctors are great, but hospitals are horrendous places to recuperate. Just waiting in the surgical waiting room was stressful. It's a complete slice of society there - polite people, ones that just reek of too much aftershave, ones that just HAD to bring their 4-year old with them but won't take her out to eat when she's whining for food, ones that see nothing wrong with playing internet infomercials loudly, ones that just cannot turn off the ringer on their phones, or speak in a normal inside voice, and my list goes on. Too much of everything you don't need or want.

The children's hospital floor where she spent the night was not much better. A parent should not have to ask the nurses to be quieter every 3 hours throughout the night. One nurse had the audacity to tell me that it was a very busy nurses station. I told her "that rubbish, I can hear you laughing and discussing a party you went to!". It was silent for a couple hours afterwards. They first tried to put us in with another patient (the one that had the sister in the waiting room that whined to eat - and whose parent couldn't find a more appropriate place for her). I just said NO way, get us a private room. It happenned to be right in front of the nurses station and beside the door (another noise source). A step above having a roommate, but far from restful. When Sophie was bored and wanted to play, I knew it was time to get out of there. The ward has a nice playroom, but it is pretty hard when all you can do is sit in a wagon with both casts (below knee) propped on a pillow. We did watch Cinderella twice though.

Phase one is thankfully over. We'll take this a day at a time, knowing that the next 7-10 will be the worst. Luckily our spell of 70's days has ended for a while. It's not so hard to lie around when it's chilly and raining outside.

Have a good weekend...I hope to be sewing and posting cheerier things soon-