I added another badge to my mother vest....

Cuz let's face it, we all count how many badges we collect on our mom vest! I must be somewhere around 2,143,085 by now...but really who's counting!

OK, I am. I totally am. I wear the vest with honors. We all do. And we all should. Being a mom's tough work. Doesn't matter if your a mom to 1 or a mom to 10, it's all hard work.

So today I added another badge. This was the "Send a Child into Surgery" Badge. Whoa, it was a tough one to earn, too!

You see, last week Christian went in for his well child visit. You know, where the docs tell you you don't feed your kids the right foods, that they need to read more and watch less tv, that you're failing miserably at this parenting thing, and need to try better. OK, not really. It just seems like it I guess. Anyway, we went in for that, and the doc gives the whole "I need to check your private area. It's ok for me to do that since mom's here. But we never let anyone touch us in the privates, and if someone does, we have to tell mom or dad right away." Ok ok doc, I've told him this before, lets get on with the show here. He's got 30 minutes until he misses class snack. So she pulls down the unders and cops a feel. For a long time. Longer than usual. And she's playing with the poor kid's "boys". Ok, probly not playing per say, but she's down there way longer that I was comfortable with.

Come to find out, he had fluid on his testicles. When he was an infant, and his testies fell into the sack, they brought some fluid along for the ride. And apparently it's a common thing that will remedy itself by about 18 months of age, but the "highway" Christian's testies took a travel down never closed up properly. So as a result fluid was leaking from his insides into his sac. And I was told if this isn't taken care of asap, his "boys" will never work correctly. Yea, never. No grand-babies from Christian. Not an option in my book.

So we were scheduled a surgical appointment 3 days later, and surgery 4 days later.

The cool thing about all this is, Grand Rapids just got a new Children's Hospital. It's been in the works for 5 years now, and we've all been eyeing the building of it. It was scheduled to open 1/11/11...just the day of Christian's surgery!! He was one of the first 3 kids to enter into the hospital for surgery this morning. Pretty cool!

Here's a little about our day...

Here's Christian right after check-in and right before being taken back into our room. He was so excited, not nervous one iota, and couldn't wait to have surgery. Weird kid....

Here he is after just putting on his hospital gown. He wasn't so thrilled about that, but did it like a champ!

After all the initial vitals were taken, we had about 30 minutes to kill. They brought him into a play room to relax a bit.

Computer time in the play room!

While in the toy room, a nurse came in to show Christian how he will be put to sleep. Gave him his mask and some chapstick!

He loved the mask!

After a half an hour of play time, the nurse brought us back to our room and told us the doc had ordered some meds before surgery. I know she explained them, and I know I wasn't paying attention because I had to pee something fierce!! So after her spiel, I went to the bathroom while she gave Christian his meds. I mean, it was attached to the room, and I could here everything she was saying. Didn't think anything of it. Got out of the bathroom and the nurse tells me she has to put the sides of the bed up, that she didn't want him falling out. I thought that was weird. I mean, he's 5...probably not gunna fall out of bed. What ev...she put the sides up, turned the tv on, and left. We watched a little tv, relaxed a bit...then all the sudden it happened. Right in the blink of an eye. One minute Christian was a normal kid in a bed, the next minute he was acting like a drunkin' fool!! Slurring his words, couldn't keep his eyes open, bobbing up and down with his head. I started to get scared, and almost called the nurse. What the hell had they given my kid?!? Then the anesthesiologist came in to introduce himself. I asked why Christian was acting so bazaar. He said I signed a consent form allowing these meds. Duh!! Really should have paid better attention I guess! It was just some loopy meds to have him relax a little before being put under. The doc said if you could imagine a 5 year old all "schnockered" (yes he used that word!), this is what it's be like. Well, he was relaxed all right. He was giggling at everything!! Friggin' hilarious!

Anyway, here he is right after the loopy meds...

And here he is about 20 minutes after the loopy meds! I wish I had a video camera. I haven't laughed that hard in a long long time!

They wheeled my sweet boy off down the hall, and away he went. I got to sit only a few doors down from the OR, but I still didn't like one minute of it. The surgery only took around 45 minutes. Doc came out, told me all went well, and I'd be able to go see his as soon as he opens his eyes. (I guess they don't let you before that just in case they don't come out of it well!)

Within 3 minutes of him waking up, I was back there with him. He still didn't really know what was going on, but he did awesome!

Christian wanted this picture taken. He wanted to show his brother's his "drinking straw" as the nurses called it. Show how brave he was!

Here he is back in his room. Mr. Goose Poop didn't come to the hospital with us, so Christian had to call him as soon as we got back to his room. Notice he still doesn't really know what going on!

They monitored him for a few hours. Made sure he came to his senses like he was supposed to, and we were released. He was looking forward to the wheelchair ride more than anything. He asked escort services if he could take the wheelchair home!! Haa haa...

Mom and Christian

And here he is now. Just as he's been since we got home this afternoon, and just like he'll be for the next 24 hours. Laid up on the couch.

He did great. And so did his mom if I don't say so myself!! I added another badge to my vest today. And I wear it with honors!

I'll get grand-babies from Christian after all. Well, I shouldn't jinx myself like that! At least he'll be able to make the decision as to give me grand-babies now!!