Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Annabelle's Surgery... :-(

Tomorrow you are going to be having surgery on your thumb.  You have something called trigger thumb.  One day, when you were getting ready to go play in the snow, as I was helping you get your mittens on, we noticed you could not quite straighten your thumb all the way straight.  When we went to see Dr. Stevens he sent us on to a children's hand specialist who said you did in fact have trigger thumb.  You haven't complained one bit about this condition.  You've willingly shown your 'trigger' to anyone who has wanted to see and you're really excited to go and get it 'fixed' tomorrow morning.  You- "I can't wait to be able to straighten my thumb all the way, Mommy.  Just like I can with this hand."  Here is a diagram of what your thumb is doing right now.  When you're bigger and looking at this you can see why your little thumb just won't straighten all the way without the doctors help.
After tomorrow it will be all fixed and I know you will be very brave throughout the whole ordeal.  I'm just hoping that Mommy can prove to be as brave.  I'm a bit nervous, only because you are and will always be my little baby.  I don't want you to have to go through things like this...  But if you must, I want to be there with you to hold your hand (bandaged or cast) and tell you everything is going to be alright.  I found a really informative blog written by a mother who has been through the surgery twice with her two daughters.  It was very helpful to read so that I can feel totally prepared for our day ahead.  
Here is the link if you want to know more about  Trigger Thumb.

Sleep tight tonight, and by tomorrow night we'll be thinking of this as something in your past.    Your Mommy and Daddy will do everything to make you feel better until your thumb is all the way healed.  It will heal, as does EVERY wound with time and lots of love from your family... Remember that...
I'm looking forward to snuggling on the couch with you all day tomorrow, watching all the movies you've picked out with Daddy at the library.  I love you, Spunky Butt.  

Surgery Day
You are AMAZING Miss Annabelle!  I'm sitting on the couch with you @ 10:30am- We are home and you did such a wonderful job.  Mommy was more nervous than you in every way.    You had true girl power through the entire ordeal!  
Mimzey sent you this She-Ra T-Shirt. (who is your favorite vintage cartoon besides Scooby- If you have Net-flix, I highly recommend it for your little one.  It's 80's awesome and always has the best message.)  You wore it home from the hospital today.  Before your surgery you wanted to see it and you actually decided to take it to surgery with you!
On the front it says, GIRL POWER!  How perfect!
 Everyone at the Children's Branch in Westerville were wonderful.  The nurses were kind and even gave you a present!  When the first nurse came into the room and was taking your blood pressure he asked you which flavor smell you chose for you gas mask.  You told him bubble-gum!  He thought that would smell yummy...  Your response was:
"I'm not tired right now. That stuff isn't going to work on me!!"  lol-  He got a kick out of you right away and told the other nurses who came in your quote about the mask and said you were full of spunk!  (It doesn't take long for people to figure that out about you!)
I got a bit emotional when they told me I couldn't be with you when you were going to smell your bubble-gum mask.  It was hard to muster up the "Girl Power" to stay tear free when you were wheeled away from me and into the operating room.  
In less than 20 minutes they were coming to get me so that I could talk to Dr. Bickel!  I couldn't believe it!  He gave me the best of reports and then I waited for a few more minutes before I got to go back and help you wake up from your snooze.  The process was painless for me, and seemingly the same for you.  
You were groggy when you were first waking up.  You had some water and liked it when I rubbed your tummy and your chest.  You rested until I got you dressed in your She-ra shirt and some cozy jammie pants.  I carried you out to the car where you instantly fell asleep.  You had your bag handy just in case, but so far so good!!  -lol
  It was a very rainy day today, so we took it slow going home.  You had so many friends and family who were praying for you and thinking about you.  You may not realize it now, being four, but you are loved by so many.  Mommy had over 20 messages on her phone when we got home, wishing you a speedy recovery.  :-)
You and your Daddy went to the library last night and picked out some great movies!  When we got home I made you a cozy bed on the couch and turned on the tube.  You've been so good to ice your hand and just relax!  You were hungry instantly, asking for everything under the sun.  We settled on water, a Popsicle and some crackers for now, but it was so good to hear you asking for all of your favorites!
Here you are being a good little patient (maybe still a bit green~lol).  The other bandage on your left hand was where the nurses had your IV.  You didn't even know you had an because of your silly bubble-gum gas!  :-)

We are so very proud of you, Annabelle.  Me and Daddy know you have a great amount of
GIRL POWER!!!

P.S. - You will never guess who just dropped by to check on you???  Jack Boyle and his Mommy, brother and sister!  He brought you a present too!  What a very sweet friend you've made this year at BEAR's Preschool.  Mommy has too!  ~Thanks, Cara- Seriously made her day!  Kisses to you all!


2 comments:

Alexa said...

Awe, it is so hard on the mommies when they have to go under. I went through all those same emotions with Blair getting his tubes and adenoids removed. So difficult to see them go through it! I hope her recovered is as swift as can be.

The Montgomery's said...

Thank you!!! So far so good. We've been amazed at the way she's handled the entire thing. Quite a trooper. You're right about it being hard on the Mommies. I just hated that she had to go through it at all. But, now that we're on the other side of things I'm just so glad everything went well. :-)