My Brave Little Girl!

Warning this is a long post.

Cliff Notes:

Wed-Red Lion less than $60.00, Olive Garden, bed.

Thurs-Hospital for surgery 6:45, surgery 8:15, recovery room 9:10 a lot of laughing by Mark and I (see long version for details on that), out the door 10:30, quick trip up two flights to check on Josh, and home by 1:30.

The Full Version

What a week. After Monday's adventure at the river, the rest of the week was spent in preparing for Elyse's eye surgery. I had to take several calls from the Dr's office, and hospital, got a little Costco run in. (As if a Costco run could be little!) I placed a bid on Priceline so we could stay in a hotel the night before. I figured the day would be long enough without having to get up at 4:45 am to get to the appointment on time. Not to mention I was worried about her wanting to eat since she would not be aloud any food or drink and not having any food in the hotel would be easier to justify to her should she demand any. So we stayed at the Red Lion on the River for less than $60.00! A nice hotel if you should ever need a place to stay there. We got up there a bit late, and asked Elyse what she wanted for dinner, TOTALLY expecting "chicken nuggets and french fries" instead the reply was "spaghetti"! SWEET!! I knew just the place, a little place I haven't eaten at in oh about 3 years, the Olive Garden. So we were happy to make her dream come true. We had a wait which was one of those where as you walked past the window you could, no joke, count 10 tables clean and open, at 7:30 at night on a Wednesday. Luckily there was a an escalator as well we had the camera. She enjoyed both. Mark and I were laughing as she took pictures.

OK so, Thursday morning we got up and made it to the hospital by 6:45. Elyse asked only once about a drink and was easily distracted. She was a bit apprehensive about seeing Dr Nye in different place than usual, but as long as she got to see her she was fully cooperative. She really likes Dr Nye and so do I. She did fine in the room with toys, and the room where they took her vitals, she was particularly fond of having her blood pressure taken, go figure. Then we were moved to her pre-OP room with a bed in it and lots of Dr's, and nurses coming in out asking her and I a lot of questions. At this point I could see her anxiety starting to build. Then the worse thing happened. They asked her to put on their jammies. OK lots of problems about this. 1, they were NOT hers, 2 they were NOT pink, 3 they were NOT a night gown and pants, but a shirt shorts deal, and 4, they HAD tigers on them, nothing girly about that. OK so we crossed that hurtle and she is on my lap trying so hard not to cry, even though a few tears escaped. Then they gave her some Versed. I found out today that the Doctors call it the truth serum. It was very bad tasting bitter according to the nurses, and this did not make her happy but she took it all down in only two tries. I was warned by the other parents who have had this done, as well as by the nurses to hold on tight to her. When it kicked in she would be unsteady. We sat in our chair with her head on me. All of a sudden it must have kicked in, and she sat up "straight" swaying with a huge grin on her face, Mark and I laughed a bit, then she look right at my chest and says, (read this with your best drunk voice in mind) "WWOW tthhose are SSO BBIIG!" Mark and I lost it we were laughing so hard we both had tears coming down our faces. They took her back just before 8:15 and Mark and I knew she was fine, and went and grabbed a little breakfast.

OK now here is where I realized how grateful I am that her surgery was so minor. There were mom's there for chemo, radiation, teeth cleaning for their Downs Syndrome kids, and to repair a very real broken heart. They were pacing, and loud and very chatty. I was calm and so grateful for our health as well as the Priesthood. I kept thinking about the blessing that Mark and our friend Steve B. gave her the night before. My heart was full as I wished all of these families could receive the peace and comfort of the Comforter.

About 45 min. later Dr Nye came out and told me it all was well and gave us a few instructions and warned us that she may have some double vision but that won't last any longer than two weeks! 10 min later we were by her side waiting for her to wake up. She was a true sleeping beauty, and at this time came humbling experience number two. In recovery we were very much back to back with a young lady holding a baby girl maybe only 2 months old if that. Her son in the bed next to us, who was also still sleeping, looked to be 3. I gathered from her conversation with the nurses that she has a 6 year old in school back home in Kalispell Montana! Her son was in the beginning of a 5 week radiation program, she was staying at the McDonald house, and knew no one. My heart ached more for her than anyone else that day and every time I think of her my heart hurts and I pray for her.

So after what seemed a long time my sleeping beauty began to wake, loopier than before. I sat holding a popsicle for her about 6 inches from her face. She says (slurred and drunk sounding) "TTHHere's ttwo of them". She would grab it pull it close then ask and look around my hand, and try to open it, "wwhhere ddid thee other one ggo?" Then she looked down and with wide eyes and says "II hhave ffour legs, ccraazy Heavenly Father and Jesus, ggave mme ffour llegs!!" After her wheel chair ride to the car, which she thought was because she had 4 legs, we stopped off to see Josh just two floors above us. That would make humbling experience number 3. On our way home we stopped by A&W to use the bathroom. She would not let me hold her so I directed her to the bathroom following her around for fear she'd stumble and hurt herself. In the bathroom she stumbled and with funny look on her face repeats the stumble throw her arms in the air and says "Aand tthats hhow you ddance with ffourr lleggs!" Oh that kids is funny anyway and with some loopy drugs in her system Mark and I haven't laughed that hard in a long time!!

Well that was it, a day of crazy mood swings, and double vision, 3 days of sponge baths and eye drops, no swimming for 14 days, and with the outsides of her eyes blood red, she is back to normal! (No more double vision.)

I am so proud of my little girl! She did everything she was asked including not touching her eyes and enduring the painful eye drops. She was such a trooper!