TNA at ACH

Olivia was scheduled to have her tonsils and adenoids removed at Children's Hospital on Monday, July 19th. We left Abi and KayKay with Nanna and Poppa on Sunday night because we had to be at the hospital by 5:30 Monday morning. We got up and arrived in Little Rock. We signed in and the employee at the desk came over to us after a few minutes to say that he didn't have a record of Olivia coming in for surgery on this day. Our first thought: Great! We were so looking forward to getting the surgery over with and Olivia recovered in order to not go through strep (hopefully) again. So, we waited and watched families come and go as the ACH employee tried to figure out what was going on.

He was eventually able to get in touch with Olivia's ENT, Dr. McGhee, who confirmed that Olivia was scheduled for surgery on this day. ACH had to "scramble" to get a room ready but we were preping for surgery by around 7:45. We had numerous doctors and nurses filing in and out of the room gathering information and checking on us. The anesthesiologist gave Olivia and updraft prior to the surgery in order to make sure her lungs were open due to her asthma-like issues. She did really well and watched cartoons.

A nurse then came in and gave her "goofy juice" to relax her before they took her back. After a few minutes, her tongue became thick and she was quiet funny. She had her stuffed puppy dog and quilt and they wheeled her back for the surgery. She didn't cry or question what was going on. The surgery took about 20 minutes.

Dr. McGhee then came out and told us the surgery went well and Olivia did great. We were so thankful.
We were then called back to the recovery room to see her. She was crying and trying to get out of her bed. I was not prepared to see her like that.  I guess Alex and I both had it in our heads that since "everything went great", she would be her normal little self. She was very disoriented and upset. It broke my heart but I told myself that I wasn't going to lose it and upset her more. The nurse got Olivia out and handed her to me. I sat in a rocking chair and held her. I tried to console her and she sounded awful! Her throat was thick and she snored and drooled.

We were able to get a bed in the hospital after about an hour in recovery. She then became restless. I could NOT get her to quit wiggling in the bed. Eventually she slept. She was hooked up to an IV to keep her from dehydrating. She ate a popsicle and drank fluids immediatley following surgery. She did really well compared to what I have heard about most recoveries from TNA.

She even at some macaroni and mashed potatoes by that evening. We are so proud of what a trooper she is. We only had a curtain seperating us from all of the other patients in the ECU. We heard several other children crying and screaming all through out the day and night. Hospitals are a tough place to be. Mike and Marsha came by to see us as well. We were so glad to see them and to hear that Jed had improved. I have to take a moment to say that Mike and Marsha are two of the most genuine, giving, and precious people I have ever known.

Olivia made some nurse friends while she was in the hospital. She didn't talk much due to her throat but still managed to make an impression on those helping her recover. Everyone in the unit knew that she had a thing for stickers and that her new baby's name was Chunky before she left.

We got to see a good friend, Robyn Abernathy. She brought Livi a ACH t-shirt and visited. It was great to see her. Everyone that we came into contact with at ACH was wonderful. Lots of upbeat and caring personalities work there.

Olivia got to go for a wagon ride through the hospital. We took her down to the gift shop and look around.

We got very little sleep through out the night with nurses coming in every two hours, confined sleeping arrangements, and lots of noises going on in the unit. But, thankfully, we were discharged around 8:00 this morning and came home. Dr. McGhee made his rounds and said he was very impressed with Miss O and that she had reached all of the goals he had for her. I love Dr. McGhee! He is wonderful with Liv.

We have slept quiet a bit today. Olivia is eating soft foods really well. She is drinking and eating popsicles. I am so very proud of how good she is when she feels bad. She is up trying to run through the house now and playing with her new baby Chunky the Second. She is on antibiotics and tylenol with codeine for the pain. She is also supposed to be kept quiet and calm for about 2 weeks. Ha! We haven't made it to day 2 with that one, but we will do our best. Alex has gone to pick up Abi and KayKay and to spend the night with his parents. I have missed those two big girls and so has Livi! She talks about them a lot.

This ordeal has been quiet an experience. I never knew how much it can hurt to see your children go through tough times, but so far, it seems that our girls have taught us so much resilience and how to bounce back from pretty much anything.