I am so glad it's over!

(by: mom i love you mom I love you too Cambria) - I didn't want to delete this conversation with Cambria.


This is before Kiera knew any better:

Still happy as a clam even though she is wearing a clown gown - she hates clowns.
The trigger thumb- it's the bent one.
Let the nightmare begin:
Our expectations for a smooth procedure were high. Cambria had her tonsils out and it really went well. Kiera had already had surgery once (tubes in her ears) and that went well also. I never considered the fact that three different surgeries would be a little more demanding on my little three year's old body. I should of known this. I usually do think about these kinds of things. But this time I didn't.
While the surgeries performed simultaneously by the two skillful doctors went well, I cannot say the care by the nurses was ideal. This is my new mantra: Just say no to student nurses. I know they have to learn and practice their chosen profession, but they no longer will get to practice on the people in my family.

Kiera did not come gently out of her deep anesthesia induced sleep. She kicked, she screamed, she tried to pull her IV out. She did this for quite along time. The nurses tried to comfort us by explaining that it wasn't really her just a reaction from the anaesthesia. It did, however, closely resemble her new three year old tantrum times 10. The ER nurse (who was not a student, but who nonetheless won my disapproval) was rightly worried that her screaming would ruin the work that the doctor had just done in her throat. Concerned about bleeding the ER nurse gave her Tylenol with codeine. The she gave her 1 and a half Mal's of morphine. The starting dose for adults in 2ml's. Kiera continued her screaming and wailing until she suddenly appeared to wilt. The Tylenol and morphine kicked in at the same time causing her body to pass out, for lack of a better term. The nurse bean to frantically check her vital, administer oxygen and sit her straight up on her bed. She called to me and the student nurse to keep her awake - "don't let her close her eyes." It was scary. I held back tear and pretended to stay calm as I slapped her face and pinched her arms and called her name. She looked like a strung out druggie. It is not a picture that I care to carry around in my head. I felt like a duck upon a pond- one who looks calm above surface, but just underneath the water my legs were frantically treading water. The nurse said there were medications that would counteract the morphine, but she didn't want to give it to her if she could avoid it. This lasted for about 20 minutes when her status improved . . .slightly. She could open her eyes a bit more and she kept trying to talk to me. She kept saying something about my face and them reached for me hair and began coming through it with her fingers. Later i found out when she was a bit more coherent, that she saw bugs crawling on me. We were finally able to move her to the recovery room after and hour. She was disturbed that there were two clocks on the wall in her room. There was only one. She was however excited when Tigger and Pooh walked passed her room. I didn't see them, but she sure did. After an hour more of oxygen and vital being checked, they finally let her succumb to the sleep that had been begging and audience with her. They let her sleep because she was finally breathing more than 12 breaths a minute. It was scary.

I snuggled next to her in the bed while she slept "under my wing". That is what she calls in when she sleeps under my arm. Her IV started beeping and the student nurses examined it but didn't understand why it was beeping. They pushed a few buttons and them left the room, I assumed to seek greater light and knowledge from their attending RN. You know what happened when one assumes. A half hour later, the machine beeped again, calling for attention however inadequate.
A different student nurse checked the complaining machine, pushed some buttons and left them room. An hour later, the real RN came in, checked the IV, left the room, then came quickly back rushing to rip the well wrapped IV out of Kiera's arm. They had promised us that it would be in a lot longer to deliver much needed fluids to my little Kiera as well as anti nausea medication. I didn't learn until later, That the IV had to be removed promptly because air bubbles had been allowed to seep into the IV tube because of improper handling of the machine by the student nurses. The head nurse told me this with a shake of her head and a look of disgust.

Kiera would not drink and when we finally convinced her too, she vomited. We were all concerned since the IV could no longer come to our aid. The head nurse considered option of how to give her anti nausea medication - put a new IV in, a shot, a suppository . . .ahh, man - it was awful. She said after much discussion with the pharmacist, the decide on a chewable tablet that was placed in Kiera's mouth with an ice chip while sleeping.

We finally got to go home at 4:15. It was a long day and a long night. We had wonderful friends and family who came bearing gifts and dinners and we felt very loved and cared for. Thank you to all of you who kept us in your prayers I shutter to think what our fate would have been without the Lord's help.
The doctor wrote a yes on the arm that was to be operated arm. I thought that was a very scientific way to ensure the correct operating site.

Doesn't the picture below break your heart?
Kiera's sweet nursery teachers brought Kiera and Cambria a get well gift. We'll have to help Cambria practice sitting more like a lady.
Kiera taking a well deserved rest with her new Belle doll.

Flowers, balloons and a new soft and cuddly stuffed bear from Grammy, Papa and Gigi. Thank you!

Bubba "talking" on the phone. Totally unrelated to the above story, nevertheless a very common sight in our house.