The EUA

It's been a busy day.  The other day we got a call from Children's, notifying us to be at the outpatient surgery center at 6:00 AM.  Yeek!  So we crawled out of bed at 4:30, snuck some cereal and coffee so that Ryan wouldn't see, and I went in to get him from bed.  We're at Grammy and Grampy's, so the boys are snuggled in the same bed.  He was so precious.  He was all curled up, snuggling some wadded-up sheet.  I plucked him out of bed as gently as I could, carrying his warm little boy body to the bathroom.  The first thing he said was "Finally you are going to the building!"  Believe it or not, he was looking forward to this.  Once he did his thing, we walked straight to the van and headed into downtown.  

I was amazed at how many people are out and about at 5:15 in the morning on a Thursday... and everyone apparently has someplace important to be.  This country girl had a rather exciting time with the construction and traffic on LBJ!  Between a concrete wall and a semi at 70 MPH is not exactly my favorite way to wake up.  You know I'm nervous when I put down my coffee!

The parking garage was empty, so we pulled Ryan out of the van.  Armed with charged iPods and iPad and mommy's crochet bag (keeping my hands busy is a good thing), we went to the door of the surgery center to find that it wasn't open!  A lady who was thankfully there early, who hadn't received the memo that we were to be there that early, let us in after checking to make sure we were supposed to be there.  They usually don't start anything until 6:45, but wanted to get Ryan in before things got crazy.  

Just the first thing to thank the Lord for.  

Ryan, well practiced by his resourceful daddy, let the nurse take his vitals.  He even seemed to enjoy the blood pressure cuff!  Then she led us to Ryan's little pre-op room.  He found the bed kinda cool, and even wore the pajamas with only a little creativity on mommy's part and a tiny bit of convincing.  

Ryan bein' cool, waiting his turn in OR, having a bit of iPod time.

Then things got a bit interesting.  Everyone knew we were coming; most people even called him Ryan instead of Eric (he goes by his middle name).  All the nurses were sweet and helpful, and our anesthesiologist was AWESOME.  She came in and told us that there would be no IV (if you remember, that was the scariest thing to me) and that she'd just use a mask to get him to sleep.  She ordered the usual stuff they call "goofy juice" to relax him before he went back, but just as he got a drink of it and I was trying to convince him to take another one, I spilled it.  Argh.  I really thought I'd set us back. 

The nurse was very reassuring and cool, and called the anesthesiologist, who said if he was doing well we wouldn't use the goofy juice.  I was so glad, because the last time he had that stuff, he came out of it in a less than amicable mood.  By that, I mean he kinda hit a nurse.  So y'know.

When it was time to say goodbye, the anesthesiologist showed up with HER iPad, handing it to him to play Angry Birds.  Oh, how did she know?!  Then he rolled on back, no big deal.

Eric and I waited about twenty minutes or so, and as soon as Eric decided it was safe to get up and go to the bathroom, they came to get me.  He was done!

After a short wait, the surgeon came and delivered those wonderful words... "The surgery's still working.  His pressures are great!"

Ah, how lovely!

After a little more waiting, they wheeled him into the room, where he promptly began asking for the elevator in a British accent.  He was groggy but fine.  Here he is having some apple juice and Angry Birds, all changed back into his version of the matching shirts we wore.  Mine was Momma Bear, Eric's was Papa Bear, and Ryan's said Baby Bear.  And, may I add, Sic 'Em!

Once he was able to leave, we walked to find and elevator (after the obligatory wheelchair ride to the van) where he walked on like a big boy.  The back of the elevator was glass, and he wasn't terribly sure about watching the scenery go by, but we could tell he thought it was cool anyway.  All eight floors.  

The difference in this recovery photo and the ones from when he was a baby are striking.  He's not a baby anymore... and he's amazing.  We're so thankful again for that cold that caused us to take him to the doctor that led to discovering glaucoma before he lost his sight.  We're thankful for Grammy being so willing to not only host us for the night before and tonight but for loving on our two littles while we were at the surgery center.  

And all my worries?  All my fears about how horribly this could go, how I just imagined him tearing an IV out of his arm, all that mess?  None of it transpired.  A few phone calls into the process, the peace that passes understanding came over us as we saw God's hand yet again in giving us an autism mama to help us plan.  Everyone was wonderful, and it's all done, and the next time we'll be a lot less nervous.  I'm so thankful for Dad encouraging us to call ahead in the first place.  Honestly, folks, I was NOT okay with this at the beginning.  Our sweet boy has been through and goes through so much, I hate putting him through more.  But we needed a good pressure read.  

Further proof that when you seem backed into a corner, the only way to get out is to look up... reach up... and He'll give you ways to step out.  He's done it for us over and over.  Time and again.  

Now we're going to go tuck the kids into bed and enjoy a little more time here before we head south tomorrow.  But before I check out, I gotta show this to you... 

Those were taken after Ryan's first EUA, the one about six months after his two surgeries.  He was sleeping off the medication on his Daddy's chest, and I believe Daddy was resting too.  Time has flown, friends.  And I don't think it's stopping anytime soon.  So we'll enjoy them while we have them!

Thanks be to God for it all!!!