Last surgery of the year...I pray!

This year has been a pretty challenging year for us as far as doctors, hospitals and medicine is concerned.  I am pretty sure we have met our deductible twice over.  We started off the year with Logan's tonsillectomy, and we finished out the year with Luke's hernia repair.  In between was everything else! I can say at this point that I am very grateful for medicine, the medical community and the great people who are willing to work with kiddos in this arena.  I can also say that I am quite tired of going to doctor visits, hospitals, surgical centers, and CVS! I am praying for a injury-free, surgical-free, and prescription drug-free new year!  I know that is asking a lot considering that I have two boys, so maybe I should just pray for a year without emergency room visits or surgery. 

This morning, we took Luke in for his hernia repair.  I have to say that I was much more calm than I thought I would be.  I think that taking Logan in earlier in the year for his tonsillectomy prepared me.  I am so impressed with the doctors and nurses that helped out with both surgeries. They truly understand what it means to a parent to watch your child rolled off to a room where they are going to poke him with needles, give him drugs to knock him out cold and cut him open with very sharp knives.  They had no less than 7 people in our room this morning to check, double check and triple check information, ask questions and offer information.  There was also a gentleman that came in about the time we got ready to roll him away.  He was very nice, soft spoken and was decked out in the scrubs and the surgical hat.  He came down and sat beside me and asked me a few questions about Luke.  He told me a few jokes and kept asking me if I was ok. He made small talk with us about where we were from and our other children.  I kept waiting for him to go to Luke and take his temp or do paperwork, but he never did.  I realized later that he may actually have been there for Lyndon and me.  I wonder if they saw us and just went ahead and called someone in from psych.  Just joking!  But, I do understand how they would worry about the parents.  It is a lot to take in, and Luke was there for what is considered a routine, outpatient surgery.  I hated to think about what some other parents were having to endure.  Maybe that is another reason I was fairly calm.  

Pre-surgery!  Happy and pain free!

The bear had to have arm bands too!

  I did not know if I should laugh or be really concerned that the elixir they gave Luke required this arm band! 

Starting to feel the happy juice!

Really starting to feel the happy juice!

Post-op...not feeling happy anymore! The doctor ended up finding another hernia just opposite the first sight.  I was really happy he caught it, but now it will be a little more recovery time.  He has a rough few days ahead of him, but we have movies, books, puzzles, games and his big brother for entertainment!