Surgery is over, and we are home again. I'm so thankful to be back. I didn't really think through driving a post-surgery seven year old in the car, for four hours. If I did I would have asked for more prayer.
Rachel is an amazing little girl and I hope that I will never stop being stunned at her ability to walk this road. She was definitely nervous on Sunday, but she did well regardless. On Monday we were scheduled to arrive at 11. We thought that meant surgery would be sometime around that, but we were wrong. After two hours of sitting, with no one speaking to us about anything, I explained to the receptionist that we had never been there before and we had no idea what was going on. She kindly explained that since we were an add on, it could be any time, and she really didn't have more information than that. Rachel was content to sit and listen to me read to her, and she really didn't complain (at least not more than Mike and I were over top of her head).
Finally, at 2:00 they took us back, and by 2:30 she was wheeled back for surgery. She actually had two places where her retina detached and the doctor mentioned several times that it was a good thing we got there when we did. After they repaired the retina, they inserted a gas bubble in the eye in order to keep the retina pushed against the optic nerve. As the eye heals it naturally hols that position, but it needs some time to heal, and so they use the bubble. The problem is, the bubble moves around with your head (think of the bubble in a level you use to hang pictures). So, for the next week Rachel has to sit with her head facing the ground. Her neck already hurts, but we are trying lots of different things with her, and it seems to be helping.
She needs 24 hour supervision to make sure that her head stays in that position. Be praying for Mike and I as we try to juggle schedules, and stay up at night with her. Since Mike has to start back to work today I am taking the nights and trying to sleep some during the day. Most of the paperwork they gave us for post-op has restrictions listed, and then this, "or it could result in blindness." I don't think logically in the middle of the night, so be praying that I wouldn't borrow trouble.
The retinal specialist from the Cleveland Clinic is amazing. We have never seen a doctor at this level who wasn't completely arrogant, until now. He was so kind to Rachel and was very down to earth. I am thankful that if we are driving that far to see a doctor, at least when we get there he will be easy to work with.
And here are my two favorite moments from the trip . . . Rachel asked if Mike and I were going to eat before her surgery. We told her no and she said, "But won't you guys get really hungry." It shocked me that she was concerned about us, when she was going to be in the same boat - for much longer. And the second - yesterday on the way home we stopped for lunch and she asked if she could call Michael, because she really missed him. They had the cutest conversation. And when we actually made it home Michael said that he missed Rachel the most. Adorable.
5 years ago
2 comments:
oh my word...talk about grace abounding! thank you for sharing (as always) you, Mike and Rachel are such encouragements to my faith!
oh my goodness margie. I can't imagine how hard that is for her. I'll be praying. tonight at bed I asked dora if she wanted to pray about anything specific and she said, "mimi's mommy" it took me a long time to figure out she meant "Michael's mommy". :-) So we'll continue.
I don't have a car big enough to help you with picking up kids but if you ever need me enough to want to drop the other two off to me they are totally welcome! I only have one thing on my calendar (Sat. between 1-5) for the next week. honestly.
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