tkdmom96

Hi Guys,

Sorry I wasn't on sooner, we had computer problems yesterday. The keyboard and mouse kept freezing up. My husband had to look at it. I'm not totally computer savvy.

Well, we are now officially on the other side of the procedure! Katie was a TOTAL champ! She got to have a number of her favorite nurses while she was in, it was really sweet. She even had the same male OR nurse from the subdural strip surgery in April. He remembered her/us. Even asked if she had her angel pin on again! Can you believe that? Katie said yes and he said they would take good care of it during surgery. She was allowed to wear it on her gown during surgery again. For those of you who may not know, the angel pin that Katie wore for both surgeries was an identical pin (two that came on one card-you to keep one and give another to someone else) that she placed on her Grandpa's suit lapel, when he passed away 2 years ago. She kept the other. Also, the same neurosurgeon operated on her Grandpa a few months before his death. So it has been quite moving to have the surgeon work on first and third generations.

Here's the low down...I slept about an hour the night before surgery, funny thing I wasn't really even nervous, I think it was more adrenaline/anticipation than anything. Mike slept 7 hours, as did Katie. She was very calm when she went to bed. We prayed together and said that Katie had a whole new world ahead of her. She was humble and very thankful, as she has been the whole time. She was excited and didn't cry one tear.

Morning came, 5:30 am to be exact. She had her meds and her last drink of water. I got ready, then Mike and Katie. She went back to sleep for another hour. We left the house around 7:10 am and were in Day Surgery by 7:30 am. Come to find out our NS (neurosurgeon, from here on out) was stuck in traffic! So, we had Katie all gowned, urine sample etc. and were in a holding pattern. We played cards as we waited. We were all doing fine. Finaly got the call around 8:30 am to head down. Surgery was suppose to start at 8:30 am. Got down to OR holding and they did last minute vitals and gave her Verset (the relaxer) and she started to get a little groggy. Same stuff she had the last time. Our NS came out to talk with Mike and I and he held Katie's hand and asked if she was ready and Katie said "OH YEAH! I'VE BEEN WAITING ALL MY LIFE FOR THIS! LET'S GO!" We all laughed. Then I gave the NS a hug, he said he would shake Mike's hand rather than hug him, we laughed again and he said he had to go get ready and he'll see us again soon.
We prayed with Katie again, she was calm, we didn't cry and we said we would see her on the other side of the surgery. We were at peace. They rolled Katie away around 8:50 am.

The OR nurse (Jim) said he would call the waiting room (WR, from here on out) when the procedure was started. We got the call at 9:25 am that they had already opened the skull and were working on her. That about made my legs turn to noodles. He said Katie went under anesthesia fine and was smiling and joking until she went under. He said he would call again when they were further into the surgery. We got that call around 10:30 am. He said Katie was doind well and had minimal blood loss so far and that Dr. Mueller (NS) said things were going as planned. We told Jim to send our regards to Dr. Mueller and to touch Katie's hand for us. He said he would certainly do that and the next time we would hear from him was at "closing time". Maybe around noon or so. So as far as we knew, we had another hour and a half before we got a call. Mike ducked out of the WR around 11:25 am to run down to the cafe to grab a juice for he and I and wouldn't you know, Dr. Mueller comes in asking for "Katie's family". I look up and realize it's him! HOLY COW! It was 11:30 amd and the procedure was DONE!!! The NS resident was closing (staples and wrapping). Our NS asked where Mike was and I said he had just left to get some juice for us. The NS took me into a private consult room and said the surgery was over, Katie did well, he got to what he needed to, he took a little more from the frontal lobe (to get to the deeper part of the Hippocampus), Katie had minimal blood loss (100cc-about 1/2 of a cup) and required no transfusion (so none of the donated blood was used), and that she would be in recovery for an hour and go down for a CT scan to check for bleeding/swelling thereafter. They would let Mike and I see her in the hall before taking her to CT. I told him how thankful I was and he said, "Don't mention it, she's a lovely young lady, I was happy to be a part of this". I cried a little then. Mike came back just in time to catch Dr. M. at the door. They shook hands and Dr. M. asked that I fill Mike in, but did say that Katie did very well.

Mike came in and sat down and we looked at each other and couldn't believe it was OVER! 2 HOURS! We were told up to 4 hours. What a relief! Mike cried. We sat in the WR until Jim, the OR nurse cam in to tell us we could see her. We went out into the hall and she was laying flat, had oxygen on, both of the Anesthesiologists were with her and the NS resident (Dr. Andrew, from the last surgery) and Jim. Katie was a little groggy but when I asked if she could hear that it was me, she nodded slightly. We shook the hands of the Anesthesiologists, Jim and Dr. Andrew (I hugged Dr. Andrew) and they all said Katie did extremely well and the CT scan looked good. So we had to go back to the WR to wait until they got her situated in the PICU (pediatric ICU). That took about an hour. By now it was 1:30 pm or so.

Katie as on ALOT of morphine the first 2 days, then as needed (if requested by Katie with ok of nurse). She was off morphine completely by Wednesday am. The first 2 days were long and a little rough. She had her period and a catheter ontop of everything else. Poor thing. She had an MRI on Tuesday morning around 7:30. Our NS came in (in the afternoon) to tell us the MRI looked great and that he got all of what was needed. We said "good thing, cause we're not doing this again!" Dr. M. said, no need. We all smiled. Katie was moved from the PICU to the EMU around noon on Tuesday, not even a full 24 hours in the PICU! She was doing well. They allowed us to have a room in the EMU because there was one available. It was the room right next to the other we had been in twice. Extra window and a great view out to the horizon. Katie continued to do well on Tuesday unto Wednesday. Morhpine done in am on Wednesday and her head was unwrapped by Dr. Andrew (we can't pronounce his last name, it's Polish, I apologize to any who are Polish, don't intend to offend). Got the first look at the staples...35 to be exact. Good thing she had some with the first surgery, so I knew what to expect. It was a little gruesome looking. Dr. Andrew asked "is mom ok so far, we aren't losing her are we?" Katie and Mike laughed. I did fine! Honestly! Not even a tinge. My legs felt most noodley when the OR nurse told me they has just opened the skull, that really got me. The staples looked good so Dr. Andrew said he wanted katie to start some soft food, drink more and to get out of bed in the later afternoon. They had already removed the catheter on Tuesday am when she went for the MRI. So we were using the dreaded BEDPAN. YUCK!!! By the time Mike stayed the night Katie was able to walk to the bathroom, all he had to do was stand next to her and help a little with her undergarments, (because of 3 IV's coming from places).

Wednesday late afternoon our NS (Dr. M.) came up to say that Katie might be able to leave sometime on Thursday if she met 5 criteria. 1.) Had to walk the halls 2 more times Wed. evening 2.) Had to keep 2 meals down 3.) Had to be off the IV's with enough fluid intake orally 4.) Have good urine output 5.) Have a bowel movement. We were told to expect swelling by Wednesday, and it never really happened. She had a little under her left eye and around her left temple, but that was it. We were told her whole left side of the face could swell up, her eye could swell shut (look like a bad boxing match) and she did FANTASTIC! She actually had more swelling with the subdural strip surgery.

Thursday am rolled around and Dr. M. and Dr. Andrew were in at 6:45 am and said Katie could go home if she kept breakfast down, the rest was fine. She didn't have the bowel movement, but they told me what to feed her and do, so he said he would write the orders for release, as soon as Neurology came in to check her out (Dr. Zupanc, our Epi). Dr. M. said Katie held the record for Craniotomy release, 75 hours in the hospital!!! After Dr. M. left, Dr. Andrew told us that Dr. M. is usually conservative with Craniotomy releases, but he feels strongly that Katie is fine to go home. (plus they asked how far away we live, and we said 20 minutes). So, Dr. Z came up around noon, we all hugged (she even hugged Mike, and she hugs tight and long for the wispy 5' 2" thing that she is, no wimpy hugs there) and we were out the doors by 12:45 pm.

PART 2 FOLLOWS TO NEXT POST

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Proud mom of Katie, the strongest and bravest person I have ever known! GBTG.