Ethan's Heart Surgery 06-06-2005

6 a.m. is way tooooo early for me!

We had to be at Same Day Surgery at 6 am Monday June 6, 2005.

Mommy worked the night before, so Daddy and I met her in X-ray then we walked over to SDS. It was so early for me, who usually isn't really awake until about 10am, that I just stayed asleep pretty much the whole time I was being worked up for surgery. Mommy kept messing with me because she didn't want to send me off to the OR asleep and not having seen my pretty blue eyes.

But the more Mommy messed with me the more irritated I became until I did finally wake up!

Mommy's friend Heather came over to bring us some goodies to enjoy while waiting for me in surgery, and to say a little prayer with us.

Heather's son PJ lost his battle to his CHD about 6 years ago, and she has been a great advice giver, shoulder to cry on for my Mommy and good friend through all our unknowns.

Wow-I like this versed stuff they gave me!

Then Mommy carried me to the doors of the operating room and she and Daddy gave me big hugs and kisses and told me they would see me later-but I was already in "versed-happy land"!

Mommy and Daddy then kept wait in the Surgery Waiting Room, and at 9am moved to the Ronald McDonald Family Room. Lisa, one of the CV RN's kept us posted on Dr. Lofland's progress with Ethan.

Grandpa Chuck, Grandma Sharon, and Aunt Katie all came up to sit with Mommy and Daddy and keep them company. Back home Grandma and Grandpa Rawley arrived early at our house to sit with Hailey and Parker.

Many wonderful visitors came by also just to say hi, bring a gift or just give Mommy a much needed hug. Valerie from CHD Families and her son Jonah came by to say hi and bring me a stuffed bear.

Peggy, Maura's mommy, (a heart buddy of mine) came by and brought me a really cool stuffed husky puppy and gave Mommy a big hug, and Michael-Ann and her son Garrett (another heart buddy of mine) came by and brought me a Bambi stuffed animal!

At exactly noon, Dr. Lofland came to talk to Mommy and Daddy in the RM Room. He was able to do the "complete Tet repair" and also found a cleft in my mitral valve which he was able to fix and get the leakage there down to almost nothing! He was very pleased, and told Mommy and Daddy I had done GRRReat! and would be in my room in the PICU soon!

"cardiac cocktail"

3 hours post-op

Dr. Banwart was my PICU doctor, he came in and talked to Mommy and Daddy and told them that they would let me sleep all of the rest of that day, and maybe begin waking me up on Tuesday morning. He said that it would be a great night to go home and get some rest because the rest of the week would be a long one!

For once my Mommy took someone's advice and did just that! She kissed me one more time and then went home to tell my sissy and bo-bo how great I looked and finally get some sleep!

It was about 1:30pm before Mommy and Daddy were allowed in the PICU to see me. I know my Mommy was very nervous as she walked down that hallway to my room, she had expected to see the worst, and when she saw me, and how good I really looked she was so happy! She kept stroking my curly blond hair and telling me she loved me, and that I had done such a good job!

click on the silly frog to see more pics from my surgery!