Talmage's surgery

So last Thursday was the big day. It was kindof a big undertaking to get everything prepared, because they couldn't tell us what time the surgery would be until the day before. So we had to get babysitters for the kids without knowing the time. But let me just stress that so many people were helpful and kind, so it worked out. The hospital where we went was an hour away, so we ended up having to leave at 6:30/7:00 a.m. One of my kind visiting teachers came that early to stay with Jethro until he had to go to school, then another friend picked Jethro up and drove him to his friend's house to be watched (the mother couldn't pick Jethro up at that time because she had to pick up her own kids). A friend watched Hazel, and another friend watched Ethne all day.

So we got to the hospital and talked to a nurse, the surgeon, the intern, and the anastethiologist. It's funny how many times they ask the same questions (which I was asked in the pre-registration over the phone the day before too). Maybe they think they'll trick us and one time we'll forget and say "yes, he has had a blood transfusion before." :)

Anyway, they were all very nice and explained things. Brett asked if he could watch the surgery but they declined, based on hospital policy.

So then, the nurse took him and walked away. Talmage was very brave.

Brett and I waited in the waiting room for the next two hours and more, which was a far busier place than I'd have imagined. We both just read books, and I had this weird feeling that we shouldn't be just amusing ourselves when Talmage was in there having surgery. A nurse came in twice to give us updates and tell us that everything was going fine. Then, the surgeon came up and told us they had finished, and everything had gone great. The hernias (both sides) were very big and they had to repair some of the floor besides just tying them off.

Since it would be a little while, we had lunch in the cafeteria and then they let us go see him. (Tips for if you ever do something like this--bring more snacks and remember to drink water.)

That first look was pretty heart-wrenching. He looked so pale and fragile and small in his big bed with all the monitors hooked up to him. And they told us that after the surgeon had talked to us he had had a little difficulty breathing when he was coming out of the anasthesia, and they had had to leave the breathing tube in for a little bit longer, so they decided to keep him overnight to watch him just to be safe.
It was a very rough night for Talmage and I. He was very sore and very fussy. I REALLY couldn't wait for the night to be over. But we made it through and were discharged the next morning. Talmage did a lot better when he got home, although on the subsequent days he has been fussier much more than normal (normally he's not fussy at all). I can't really blame him, and on the whole he's been such a tough guy.

I have to again say how grateful I am for all the people who helped us out during this--two women just offered to bring us meals and it was so great! I am so appreciative of people stepping in and helping out. It makes me want to be better at that.

Here are some pictures of Brett and Jethro working hard yesterday. I look at Jethro and I think 'when did he get so big?' as usual. Brett paid him a quarter for all his help. I told my sister Amy that and she said, "And I thought we were hard done by when we were kids," or something to that effect, but hey--Jethro was impressed. :)
(If you want to see the pictures bigger, you can click on them.)

This is Brett making a face at Hazel through the window. I think it's funny.

And some pictures from today just for fun.