Thursday, March 8, 2012

Bye Bye Owie...

Tuesday morning rolled around and we had to wake the wee man up at 8:15a to get to Dr. Chartrands.  He knew we were going and we had told him the Doc was going to give him a little pinch (shot) and then take away his owie.  He asked for a "swink" (drink) a few times on the way down, but we had to get him there fasting - that part was the HARDEST....until...


The calm before the STORM...


I had watched 3 online surgery videos about Ketamine, read multiple articles, talked to one anaesthesiologist, one large animal vet, one general surgeon and spent an hour on the phone with Dr. Chartrand asking my list of 11 serious questions.  I was prepared for what Ketamine sedation was going to "look like". 

UNTIL...it didn't go anything like we had planned.  One Ketamine shot down (Graham handled it like a champ), he started slurring his words a little, he couldn't walk straight and he was asking for raisins....surely he will be out soon and we can start the procedure to get this OVER with...nope...it's obvious to the Ketamine expert in the room (me) that the drug is not working.  I make eye contact with Chartrand and I realized he knew it too (der Tara - he's the Doctor).  So we decided that the original dose was conservative and we dosed him again...ok, eyes starting to roll, we get up on the table, G says "hi, dada" and "want down" and "go home" loosely 8,000 times over the next 5-7 minutes.  Again the expert in me knows this isn't working - he should be catatonic.  I start to sweat (panic a little), Graham is sweating bullets (and sobbing) we needed to make a move before the crappy sedation wore off.  So, terribly we decide to retrain my sweet baby in his loopy (but not out) stage to get this done.  I am thinking 30 seconds max, so my jurisdiction is his little chest and legs, and Mike is holding his wrist and fingers so the Doc can cut and get the glass out.  Graham cried the whole time (like he was hurting) and although it probably took 10 minutes, it felt like an hour.  I just kept telling him that it was ok and that mommy was right there...the whole time I am thinking...Jesus, please let this end

And then it did and the calm set it and Dr. Chartrand took a deep breath and the huge piece of glass was out, the stitch was in and I could get my little guy out of there and in a more comfortable position.  Mike told me on the way out that he almost threw up 3 times, and I admitted to almost having a complete melt down myself- we were a mess, but a strong unified mess at least when necessary.

  We took him to the porch and I held him like a tiny baby and he started to fall asleep and his breathing got really shallow...this is where I got totally FREAKED out.  We ran him back inside Dr. Chartrand yelled at some people to get out of his office to make room for us (like he was Mel Gibson in Braveheart or something - Amazing) and broke out the oxygen, but before we had to use it G started crying and we knew he was ok. 

Phew...I need a nap and an axiety pill (ha).

Now were talking...G wants to read and crawl up Chartrands stairs.  Well, his top half was still much heavier than his little legs and he kept tumbling over...but he was getting his personality back and he started using his hand - YES.


We were only at the Doctor's office for a few hours, but it felt like a full day.  We got in the car and G was starving.  He ate a bar, "nuffin", blueberries, strawberries, toast and apple juice.  Sidenote:  Apparently everyone ever known to get Ketamine vomits, well thankfully we were at least spared the vomiting.  He was tired the rest of the day, took a 3 hour nap and went to bed early, but didn't really complain.


Here is the culprit.  Huge, huh?

 The end to a stressful day for the Hummel's.

Son-

Today, you were STRONG & COURAGEOUS like Joshua and I am so proud of you.

I love you.
Mama

 Here's a bedtime shot of his stitched hand.  He says it hurts and he is curious why his owie didn't actually go away (bad parenting - of course it wouldn't be visibly gone).  When he looks at it he closes his fist really tight - I think the stitch oogs him out.

What I have to say about the whole deal is...the Lord faithfully answered our prayers.

1.  Chartrand did an amazing job, under more difficult circumstances...he made us feel comfortable with the decisions that needed to be made and like we were the only people on his schedule for the day.  He also let me hold Graham during the entire procedure. 
 THANK YOU.
2.  The glass was removed and his little tiny man hand already looks better and most importantly he has full function.
3.  G did not have any side effects from Ketamine
4.  Graham WAS Strong & Courageous
5.  I held it together

THANK YOU for praying for my son.

Also, if you EVER think there is any possibility of a foreign object in your body or you child's DON'T DELAY...get it checked out.  Also, did you know that any outdoor deep laceration - rose bush, bottle, whatever (not necessarily rusty) can carry the bacteria that causes tetanus?  Now you do.

Let's Hear it for my "sees things differently"/ granola/ shockingly kind/ talented..
Dr. Chartrand

4 comments:

  1. I'm so sorry this was so difficult, but praise the Lord it is over. G man was super strong and courageous and so were his parents! Pretty sure I could not have done that.

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  2. wonderfully written from beginning to the sweet ending....

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  3. carolyn norman - you are just about the sweetest "commenter" I have. THANK YOU - and really thank you for being interested in my little guys. Love.

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  4. I love Dr. Chartrand! He can be really blunt sometimes but ultimately trust him as a great doctor. Sweet 'lil Graham. Bless his heart! I remember the trauma of having your baby held down while having surgery. It's truly truly awful. Thank God it's done and all is well now!

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