I wasn't going to take Rylee trick-or-treating this year, because 1) we had a Halloween party and she got to wear her costume there, 2) it was going to be chilly out and 3) she really doesn't need a bucket full of candy, let alone the night before surgery (more on that later). When I found out that the mall was having trick-or-treating on Tuesday night (the 29th) and it would of course be indoors, I decided to go ahead and take her there. I was looking forward to a fun evening, just she and I. On the way to the mall she asked, "Mommy, where's your costume?" Hmmm.... I hadn't even thought about wearing a costume. I felt really bad -- of course it would have been more exciting for her if we were BOTH wearing a costume -- what was I thinking?!?! And then on Halloween evening when I saw so many pictures on facebook of parents dressed up with their kids, I felt like the worst parent ever!! I like Halloween -- why not dress up with my kids?!?!? So, I am going to start planning my costume for next year now so I'm not scurrying for something last minute and I am going to be one of those awesome parents who takes part with their kiddos :)
Okay, on to surgery. Rylee had a small cyst right above her eye that we have been monitoring for about 2 years. As it was slightly growing and the opthamologist didn't think it would ever go away on its own, we decided to go ahead and have it removed.
I have no problems watching my children get shots, and handled Wyatt's tongue clipping at 2 weeks old with no problem. I really wasn't even worried about Rylee's surgery. It was a little hard watching her go back to the surgery room crying because she was scared and we couldn't go back with her (the nurse pretty much grabbed her and whisked her away because she was hanging on to Daddy begging him to come with her). But what was really really hard and I wasn't prepared for at all was watching her come out of anesthesia after surgery. Wow!
A nurse came to get us and as we walked back towards the recovery room I could hear a child crying, but it didn't sound like mine. I also saw a nurse cradling the crying child, but she didn't look like mine. I was wrong - that child WAS mine. It was the strangest thing and I can't even begin to describe it, but basically she was still pretty "out of it" and was scared. I could tell she was trying to say "mommy" and "daddy", but to anyone else it just sounded like a lot of random letters coming out of her mouth as she was crying and trying to breathe. I sat in the recliner and the nurse handed her to me. I just couldn't believe this was the same child I just left an hour ago. Her face was puffy from the surgery too. James and I talked to her to assure her we were right there (she barely had her eyes open). It took her a very long time to calm down and be able to talk and breathe normally. I was scared -- what was wrong with my child?!?!?! The nurses assured me this was a very normal thing for a toddler as they are very disoriented and don't know what's going on or what has just happened. They assured me also that the child I'm used to would return after a post-surgery nap. Good thing they were right, because that was the worst thing I ever experienced with Rylee so far. She slept on the way home and was ready to sit on the couch in her spot (she is very Sheldon Cooper-like when it comes to her spot on the couch) and watch a movie. I brought out a mirror for her to see her bandaged eye -- she got up and looked at it about every 20 minutes for awhile.
After a few hours at home and a little food in her tummy she is starting to return to normal. I'm hopeful that a long afternoon nap will help as well. The best part of this experience has been all of the cuddle time we are getting with her :)
Poor Rylee. I can remember that terrible feeling of being taken back to surgery and wanting my mom and not understanding why she couldn't come with me.
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