Lari had out-patient surgery today on her ventral hernia. Let me just start out by saying, this was not an easy day on her or her parents...or really anyone who loves her. Here is how our day went:
6:30am - Lari wakes up, we give her apple juice - the last thing she is allowed to have before the surgery (she couldn't have anything to eat past midnight and nothing to drink past 6:30am).
7:45am - We left for Children's Hospital, got stuck in traffic and were running late.
8:25am - Checked in to the Day Surgery area, sat in the waiting room (really a playroom) for about 5 minutes before we were called back. Lari got weighed (28 lbs) and measured (37-inches) and I had to answer all kinds of fun questions about allergies and such.
8:45am - We are taken to the room Lariska will recover in after the surgery. More questions, blood pressure, temperature, pulse, oxygen, fun. Pastor Carly came to visit us in this room. Lari enjoyed playing "Ickle Me and Tickle Me" with her and she said a little blessing over Lari before heading out.
9:10am - Lariska receives the "happy juice" - a yucky tasting bright pink medicine that she was a champ and swallowed right down that would make her a bit "loopy" before they took her into surgery where they would give her an IV, breathing tube (I believe in Grey's Anatomy-speak they refer to this as "intubating" - ugh), and the real anesthesia for the surgery.
9:30am - We are taken down to the pre-op room(? I think that may be what it was called. It is a bit of a blur.) We met every nurse, surgeon, anesthesiologist, etc. on her team - they were all
super nice and asked all of the same questions over again. I guess it was good to be consistent. Lari is getting slightly talkative at this point. She never really hit anything I would describe as "loopy", but she was very mellow and insisted on keeping her headband on - something the Drs. seemed amused by.
9:50am - we meet the final person who asks if Lari should be carried or rolled on the bed into the room. I had told Lari she was going to get to ride on the bed, so she wanted to give that a go. I was quite surprised then after all that waiting and question-answering that when I put her down on the bed they began to wheel her away. Matt and I each gave her a quick kiss and "I love you" and then she was gone down the hall. This was the first time I cried. We headed to the waiting room, which was extremely full. This was another blur.
10:40am - Dr. Arca came in to tell us that everything had gone well and she would be waking up soon.
10:50am - We got the call that Lariska was asking for her Mommy. Only one parent could go back to this area, which was a large room of curtained-off areas where two to three kids were coming out of surgery. Lariska was, obviously, one of them. This was the second time I (almost-)cried. Lariska was squirming in this huge bed, sobbing and sobbing that she wanted Mommy and her tummy hurt. I didn't allow myself to really cry because I knew that could not possibly help the situation, but my heart was broken for my baby. The nurse said she had been doing really great until another child came in crying, which seemed to set Lariska off. Lari hated the IV that was in her foot (due to avoiding putting it in her thumb-sucking hand), and complained about her tummy, and basically could not stop crying. She actually said to me at one point, "Mommy, I have to cry." Like she was asking permission. I gave it to her. I mean, if all this medicine makes you feel like crying, then by all means, have it out and get it over with, right?
11:10am? - The nurse was good enough to get us out of that large room as soon as possible. She knew Lariska didn't like it there. But, Lariska got her first souvenirs from this room - a surgery bear, and a sippy cup full of apple juice. I carried Lari (attached via IV to the bed) all the way up to her recovery room, where we situated ourselves in a chair and cried the rest of it out. I think it took her about 10-20 minutes to get it all out and then she calmed down, readjusted in Mommy's (pregnant) lap, and drank some of her apple juice. She asked tons of questions about her IV and complained about the bandaid on her hand (we had them take it off) and finally seemed rational again. So, we gave her a choice of movies, moved chairs, settled in again and watched "Lady and the Tramp".
1:00pm - Lari's cheeks are pink, she has finished an entire sippy cup of apple juice and is working on her second, and she even giggled a bit when she talked about how she tinkled in her pull-up (she wasn't sure she was allowed to, but because she was attached to the IV we encouraged it and she thought it was really funny).
1:30pm - After lots of intructions, a dose of tylenol, some maneuvering in a wheelchair, and the picking of a prize (a bouncy ball) we are on our way. In the car, Lariska turns pale white - something they warned us about (the car-ride might make her nauseous).
2:00pm - We arrive home, get Lariska up the stairs, put a new diaper on her, try to get a cracker down her (she took a half a nibble), read her three words from a book, and then she threw apple juice up all over me, the book, her blankie, and Nana's hand holding out a kleenex. Okay, so we changed her jammies, got her a new blankie, put her in her crib, and finished reading the book to her in bed (a very fast version).
2:20pm - Lariska is asleep. Sigh.
5:30pm - Lariska wakes up yelling, "Mommy. Daddy." She eats half a graham cracker, some chocolate shake, and a tad bit of water.
6:30pm - Back upstairs, read another book. Bedtime.
Once I finish this post, I think it is bedtime for Mommy. I am so exhausted. Thank you all for your prayers and well-wishes. We have survived this day and hope the rest of the week will go well.
Waiting for the loopy meds.
Pastor Carly tickling Lariska
On the loopy meds, but really she's just very mellow. (When it's time to leave after the surgery Lariska does not want to relinquish this lovey purple gown.)
Lari got heavier and heavier the longer we waited after receiving the loopy meds.
After the surgery, trying to get comfy.
In the car, on the way home.
Lariska shows Kyrie her tummy.
Kyrie shows Lariska the pile of presents that has appeared at our house. (Thank you Nana and Schambows!)
Lariska opening a card that Uncle Mark, Aunt Carrie, and Will and Drew sent to her (thank you!).
Pop-Pop takes Kyrie and Lariska to get dessert. Hmmm...they aren't happy about that at all, are they? 
Lariska in the kiddie pool. 
Jackson, Kyrie, and Lariska enjoying the pool (all day). 
Kyrie in the pool. 
Kyrie and Jacker. 
We really wore poor Lari out on this vacation. 
Waiting for dinner in the outdoor cocktail area. 
Tyler and Nana. 
Mango juice mania. 
I love Lari's curly hair on this humid day. 
Mini-Disco held every night. The kids lived for this. 
Tyler on the dance floor. 
Learning the steps from Miss Katy. 
Show us your moves, Kyrie. 
Lariska looking cute. 
Waiting for the bus that would take us to the airport. 
Jackson, Kyrie, and Lariska (not quite) ready to go home. 
