Post-Op: Day 1

A Daniel authored post: (Note from Lindsey- sorry about the weird formatting) Are you ready for an encouraged post?  You’re in luck! Just a warning- it's long. Things have really been going great since Anellah was admitted to the hospital.  As I’m sure you read in the timeline the surgery is completed and Anellah is in the Pediatric I.C.U. recovering. I’m sure you’ve also seen the pictures and they may strike some as being concerning.  We’ll give you some more information it put you at ease. The three surgeons that attended her surgery are top notch.  One from neurosurgery, one plastic surgeon and one for safety.  What more could you ask for?  Although it took almost an hour and a half longer than predicted we were assured that everything went normally and that they are all very pleased with the results.  Better yet we have been visited by at least one of the surgeons daily to check her progress and everything that is occurring is as expected (and normal).  She did receive a ton (not literally) of blood during the procedure and has had to have a little extra so far in her I.C.U. stay.  Not uncommon, but noteworthy. Right now her face is very swollen from such a traumatic event.  But this is expected.  We were previously warned that the worst of the swelling would be occurring approximately 48 hours after completion, that would be tomorrow afternoon. As it is she is sleeping a vast majority of the day and feeling very little, if any, discomfort.  She is awake for short periods, usually for medical procedures and tests, and is often very irate for that period.  She is difficult to console and a bit more violent than usual but she recognizes our voice, IS consolable eventually, is eating, drinking and using her words! Last night after meeting with the I.C.U. staff Lindsey and I felt comfortable enough to come home and sleep.  Early this morning Lindsey went to the hospital and I joined her around noon.  Tonight Lindsey planned to stay at the hospital but ended up deciding to come home. While at the hospital she’s getting a lot of good reading in and is close at hand to help the competent nursing staff. On the note of the nursing staff… We have been EXTREMELY encouraged by the competency and communications that have been occurring.  The doctor last night allowed Anellah to stay on her insulin pump and learned how to use it because he recognizes it as a superior form of diabetes control.  They have written orders that Anellah can have a normal (not “diabetic”) diet.  That may sound strange but the “diabetic” diet the hospital follows is poorly organized and understood and restricts many foods to being sugar-free (which isn’t something we/her endocrine team support).  She has had the same nurse both evenings who communicates amazingly, supports our thoughts/opinions and is truly working to make Anellah’s stay efficient.  Expected time of departure from the hospital: Sundayish. On to closing the loop on the administrative side of the hospital.  The hospital social worker paid us a visit today.  We let her know our frustrations with the hospital administrative side, including that Patient Relations hadn’t even returned our phone call.  She was sympathetic (although she has previously been part of the problem) and arranged for the Patient Relations employee to come visit with us.  Upon meeting her we are resting assured that our experience will be one that the hospital learns from and are expecting written explanation and apology for the ordeal.  We hope it helps others in the future. I’m reminded of the Israelites slavery in Egypt.  They must have seen each plague as the sure-fire exodus from slavery.  Yet pharaoh’s heart was hardened time after time.  We were so confused and upset time after time when we felt there was no reason for the surgery to be postponed.  But God has a plan and He succeeded as always.  It’s truly humbling to look back at the frustration I lived and know of the faith and peace, which I could have experienced instead. There ya go! An update, a life lesson and some entertainment, anywhere else you’d have to pay for this! Quick additional praise list: -Lindsey doesn’t have to go back to work until March (earliest) -Anne Royal is coming back to cook and clean for us on Saturday -Great friends stopping by to see us/bring snacks at the hospital