Thursday, February 14, 2008

Can I speak to the patient please?

Yes its long... just imagine how I feel. I had to live it

telephone ringing...
--Hello?
Hi! Yes this is John Hopkins calling to discuss the surgery details. Can I please speak with Johan?
--Um... this is his mother. Can I help you?
Oh no, I'm sorry, we have to speak to the patient. Patient confidentiality, you know.
--Ok. Johan, come here, telephone.
... after a lengthy pause you hear Johan say... I go hospital fix my hand
--This is his mom again - do you need to speak to me now?
Im sorry, I didn't realize he was only 2.
Thinking to myself - um the point where I said this is his mom didn't give you a clue?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Johan had his hand surgery yesterday. Woo Hoo what fun. When he was born, two fingers on his right hand were fused together, and as they grew, the skin on the bottom pulled his middle finger to the side, so once the seperated his fingers his middle finger was curved. You can sort of see it in this picture. His surgery was to put a pin in his finger to help straighten it out.
2


It started with me not being able to go to sleep - you know doing all of those last minute things I have to do. So I got to bed at around midnight. I let Johan sleep in my bed so I wouldn't wake up everyone else getting him ready. He looked so sweet and peaceful laying there.
1


3AM came way to early, but I had to be at John Hopkins at 4AM, so I had to get up. My mom arrived and told me to be careful that it was all ice outside. Great. I went outside and fought the ice on the car. Eventually I won. It was raining, but it was barely above freezing. AND the heater in the van decided it didn't want to work either. I was worried that the window would fog up, so I got to make my way downtown with the windows cracked. Anyway, we got there 15 mintues late, got signed in and everything was going well. Johan was smiling and happy until it was time to put on his gown. When it came time to put it on he started to cry. He didn't like the doggies on the gown he said. I think his real problem was that there were a bunch of infants there that were crying - I am assuming they were crying because everyone had been there for 3 hours or so, and they couldn't eat until after the surgery, so they were hungry. Thats my guess anyway.

So I finally got him dressed and his mood got darker and darker. That is until the anesthesiologist came over and asked him if he wanted some happy juice. He looked up all pitifully and shook his head yes.
4

5

7

8

9


My son will be an awesome drunk if he ever decides to drink. He will be the one at the party making everyone laugh. Before he had his happy juice he kept taking the blue hat off, and just was fighting me on everything. After the happy juice he was laughing at everything, pulling the hat over his fac and just giggling. He was falling over to the side - back and forth - just laughing.
10

11

12



Then they took him back, and a little over 2 hours later it was all over and done with, and time to go back and see him. Poor thing was still asleep.
13
When he came to I was asking for more happy juice. Man he was upset about everything. I WANT COOKIES. I WANT A CAR BAND AID. I WANT MY PANTS ON. I WANT MY SHIRT FIXED. It's amazing how a thing as simple as a car tatoo band aid can fix things though.
19


I was so happy when it was time to go. Until I tried to get his coat on. I zipped up his coat with his hand inside and he had a fit. DONT WANT MY HAND IN MY COAT LIKE THAT. Me being the mean mom I am, I told him to deal with it, and when we got in the car I would take his coat off. That worked until it was time to pay for parking. I set him down, but kept a hold on him with one hand since he was still drugged, and I didn't want him to fall over. Well he took that chance, threw his arm up, started to fall, I threw my money half on the counter half on the floor trying to catch him. I was so glad when I finally got him buckled into the car.

On the way home he was crying he wanted something to eat, so I gave him the bag of potato chips that came with my lunch at the hospital that I didn't want to eat. And I got him a fruit and yogurt parfait from McD's. his discharge instructions said no fried foods and no dairy. Bad Mommy.

I finally got home after going to 4 different pharmacies looking for his meds and my mom ran out the door, ready to go home. We got home around 1PM.

Fast forward to 6PM. Johans splint/cast came off his hand and he had to have it on for at least another week if not longer. Man I am so tired, and now I have to go to the ER? Thank God I asked the Dr where should I go *if* it were to happen, becuase I know my children, and I knew the splint wouldnt last a day. But I had hoped it would last the night.

Isn't it neat how they put a yellow ball on the end of the pin - so that it wouldn't catch on anything in case the splint did fall off? And his finger looks much straighter already too.
14

15


So now we are at our local ER, where everyone with the flu is there, and we had a 3 hour wait to get to the back, and into a bed. We finally got to the back, I laid him on the bed and he started to have a fit. I DONT WANT THE TV ON. Ummm, ok, I can turn it off. And off it went. The rest of the night passed fine, and finally at 11PM we made it out of the hospital. I was so tired, if Johan could reach the pedals, I would have let him drive home. It was after midnight though by the time I got everyone in bed.

I think Johan was glad to be home too.
16

17

18

12 comments:

CancunCanuck said...

Oh my gosh that is the saddest little face ever! Love the before Happy Juice and after Happy Juice pics, too funny. I think there are some floating around of me that show the same progression. ;-)

Wishing Johan a speedy recovery and Mom a much needed BREAK. Take it easy mami!

Karen said...

I hope that splint stays on longer this time and he heals well.

That happy juice is awesome, isn't it? Although we keep saying that we need to remember to pack nail clippers and scissors next time Micah goes into surgery. He'll wake up trimmed and manicured and we won't have a fuss at all.

Wife of a Honduran Man said...

Poor little guy. My son has had those days. He has liver disease. Mateo gets so scared he is practically jumping out of his skin. I understand the sleep depravation too. Hang in there!! I was telling my husband you and Lale's story (yes, I do know how to pronounce it, lol) I told him it was a great love story for Valentine's day. I wish you great courage, strength and love.
Give Johan a smoochie from all of us.

Jennie B said...

He is the cutest. His pout looks just like Lana's. I'm glad everything finslly ended successfully and I hope you have recovered a bit! Hug the kids for me!

Amie V said...

Jennifer, I know it wasn't funny to be living through it, but the pictures of Johan before and after happy juice just cracked me up! He is a cutie! I'm glad it's all done with for this round, and I hope things go smoothly for y'all for a little while... I'm sure you could use the downtime! =)

Adrians Mama said...

Awwww I wasnt liking the sad face!!! MAde me want to cry! Adrian gets faces like that and they break my heart!! I am glad surgery went well though! You are a strong mama!!!

Maria said...

Oh I hated that happy juice when they gave it to my son. They didn't tell us anything about it, so I was freaking out when he tried to walk and was falling over. I would have rather NOT given it to him. Oh, your poor little guy!

The Romero-Schroeder said...

Oh jennifer, what a brave little man you have, with such a ordeal and being such a good boy! BRAVE momy too!

Honduras Sprout said...

I laughed....I cried...I cried because I laughed. What a touching story. And hats off to you for being the best mommy in the world for your kids.

My daughter's biological father was born with 6 fingers. Well...I think it was technically 2 thumbs. He had to have surgery when he was young to correct this too. I was counting fingers and toes when my daughter was born.

Andrea said...

He can really give some sad faces. I loved that blue hat! He looked so happy to be wearing it. Poor little guy! But wow that happy juice was amazing! Can I get some of that? He is a real cutie!! He is a great sport. I hope that splint stays on this time!! Maybe get him some ducktape!!

Sabrina said...

Poor guy! I almost cried seeing him so sad! The after happy juice pictures are much better!!

Valarie said...

I know this happened a few weeks ago, but these pictures are so precious!! I hope he is doing well now.