Epigastric Hernia Repair

We knew ever since Allie was born and we diagnosed the tiny knot on her belly that she would have to have surgery. The pediatricians kept postponing it as well. First it was, "Let's wait until she's 1." Then it turned in to "Let's wait until she's 2." I finally got tired of asking and worrying about it so at her 2 year check up I asked if we could see a surgeon.

The surgeon took one quick look (that's all he could because Allie was screaming! She hates men, remember?!!?!) and said it was epigastric hernia and she would need surgery. This hernia is basically a small tear in her abdomen muscle and fat has squeezed through the tear. The surgery will basically remove the fat and sew the tear back up. Very minor, common outpatient surgery.

Still though - whenever they need to use anesthesia, it makes me worry...even though she already went through an outpatient with anesthesia with her tubes...It still made me worry.

Allie did awesome getting all of her vitals checked though! Once she got changed in to her gown, she was off an playing!

We opted to give her an oral sedative before they took her back so that they could administer the anesthesia without her screaming and yelling. This was a VERY fast acting sedative and Allie immediately turned into a cool...very cool cucumber! Brad and I couldn't help but giggle as she would stare off into space dazed out of her mind...but I couldn't help but hurt a little seeing her in that condition. It broke my heart.

Finally - they came to wheel her away in her wagon and she willingly went.

That was the last photo I remembered to take because after the surgery was over...it was drama, drama, drama!!

Her surgery went flawlessly! Within 20 minutes she was in post op recovery. They called me back although she wasn't awake yet. They let me come back to sit with her as they had already removed all the tubing from her mouth. She looked so pitiful with her oxygen mask and IV's...it was only a few weeks ago that I saw Kaiya in almost that same state...so it was a little harder for me to see my big girl so lifeless....

But pretty soon she woke up and slowly became....a.....possessed....crazy.....monster!

The nurses all warned me that the sedative and anesthesia would have this effect on her....disorientation, inconsolability, emotional hell...but I was NOT prepared!

Allie wanted down and to go play, although she couldn't because she wasn't able to support herself. She didn't like the IV hooked to her foot, she didn't like being connected to the monitors...she wanted a popsicle, but when we gave her one, she didn't want one. She was crying and screaming out of control for at least an hour. I think at one point every nurse on the floor was hovering around us. She didn't want to be held, but she didn't want to get down. She wanted to color, but she didn't want to color. A few of the other parents even poked their head out of their rooms to see what was going on! She would get on the floor, lay on her back and push herself around screaming like crazy. IT WAS AWFUL....

I've never felt so helpless, embarrassed, hurt...all at once.

The anesthesiologist even came out and recommended that the nurse give her something to calm her down...but since the IV was taken out that was no longer an option....

Whew...I think a few hours later, she started to calm down. We were finally able to get her to reason with us to get out of her gown and in to her clothes and just like that...there was our Allie back - our sweet, loving, smart and calm Allie....weird.

What a day - hopefully - we won't ever have to do that again...