Thursday, December 24, 2009

Colton's Surgery

Colton had his surgery yesterday morning.  We arrived at the hospital at about 9 am.  Neonatologist, neurosurgeon and anesthesiologist came in to see him shortly after we arrived.  We talked about the procedure and what concerns each one of them had about doing it.  Part of the concern was that he had to be transported from the Women and Children's Center to the Main Hospital since that's where the OR is.  The nurse was telling me that someone measured it and it's a quarter of a mile walk!

Colton was taken to the OR at about 1030 am and was back in his NICU bed right afternoon.  The procedure only took about 30 minutes of that time.  The neurosurgeon and anesthesiologist both said he did well during the procedure and to expect him to be sedated for a few days.  They explained that it takes awhile for their little systems to clear all the anesthesia out.  When we walked in, little Colton had his eyes open and he was looking around!  Of course, you could tell he was tired, but he kept opening his eyes and looking around, then he's close them for a few seconds and then he'd open them up and look around again!

Bubba and I left the NICU to get some lunch and make a few phone calls and send a few texts.  When we got back to the NICU, little Colton was again looking around!!!  I told the nurse he might need some sedation so he can get some rest!! 

Bubba says he's happy now because if the boys are identical (no, we don't know if they are or aren't - we might have to do DNA testing) he can now tell them apart!  Colton will have a C-shaped scar on his head!  Such the joker!!  I just think Colton won't want to shave his head when he's older.   Although, he could come up with a really good story about how he got the scar . . . maybe a skateboarding accident . . .

Bubba and I spent time with the boys today.  Colton is doing well.  He is alert and awake quite a bit.  He needs to be resting though.  Little preemie brains grow while they are sleeping.  Sean is hanging out on his hig frequency vent.  Gosh, I wish he'd do well enough to get off of it.  Because of the vent, he can only lay in certain positions.  Those positions are giving him a "toaster head." 

Hard to believe that tomorrow is Christmas!!  The boys will be 29 weeks tomorrow.  Yes, they are 3 weeks old, but in NICU-land they are considered 29 weekers.  Sometimes it seems like the events of the night they were born seem like they were so long ago . . . other times, it seems like it was just yesterday.  One day, I will tell you all the story of their birth. 

Today, when Bubba and I got home, we found there were gifts for the boys.  They each got a Tickle Me Elmo (from their Grandma), some handmade Christmas ornaments, and some Christmas cards.  :)

Merry Christmas Everyone!  Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and has a great time with friends and family.  Bubba and I will be visiting the boys and having dinner at Chevy's (yes, they are open on Christmas Day!).

2 comments:

  1. Merry Christmas Cuda, Bubba, Colton and Sean.

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  2. I'm so glad his surgery went well. i am very familiar with the NICU and scary surgeries. My step daughter lily was born with transention of the great ventricles and dextrocardia (sp?) her mother and i were very close friends she wasn't a premie but i remember spending every moment after she was born holding her mother's (Killian)hand.

    when she had her heart surgery she was so swollen they couldn't close her chest and i literally watched her heart beat.. it was scary. then her mom died when lil was 8mos old.

    now lil is a happy beautiful 4 1/2 year-old princess. she is tiny and she will need more operations but as you can tell from our story and yours miracles happen!

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