Shunt Revision....

We survived the dreaded shunt revision... Just a second to cheer...YEAH ME!!! I held it together and did not strangle the residents. That took some serious control! :)

We arrived at Comer waiting at 11am and Lindsay started to loose it. Stress. A very nice girl saw Chrissa (Lindsay's AG Doll) and asked her about it. She quickly de-stressed Lindsay. When we got back to the room, Lindsay lost it. Had to sit on my lap, cried many tears, "I don't want to do this but I want to feel better". We finally got her into a gown and they brought a gurney into the room instead of the recliner and let her lay down. Her freak out caused her pressure to go up and her headache was through the roof, then we waited....

11:30am...still waiting...

12 Noon....still waiting...(did I mention that her surgery was "suppose" to begin at 12:30pm)

12:30pm....Still waiting....

1pm...Neurosurgery Resident Arrives...We will call him Dr. Bozo....

Enters Room...

Dr. Bozo: I am Dr Bozo! I am going to shave your hair right here (pointing to the TOP right hand side of Lindsay's head) to revise your VP SHUNT.

Lindsay and I: <> Umm...Foramen Magnum Shunt...

Dr. Bozo: "LP SHUNT?"

Me: Foramen Magnum to peritoneal shunt

Dr. Bozo: VP?

Me: F-O-R-A-M-E-N M-A-G-N-U-M Shunt...

Dr. Bozo: "Are you sure?"

Me: "Yep... her hardware is here. FORAMEN MAGNUM SHUNT....."

1:20pm Anesthesia Resident arrives... We being to discuss THE ALLERGY.

Anesthesia Resident: "Well if we need to give her a little to place her ET (endotracheal tube) for surgery..." I very bluntly interrupted her...

Me: "No PARALYTICS"

Anesthesia Resident: "Well if we need to give her just a little bit...." (again interrupted by me)

Me: "NO PARALYTICS!"

Anesthesia Resident: "Well to place her ET tube..." (again FIRMLY INTERRUPTED BY ME)

Me: "NO PARALYTICS. SHE IS NOT TO RECEIVE ANY PARALYTICS AT ALL WHATSOEVER!!! She went into ANAPHYLACTIC SHOCK on the OR Table and we COULD have lost her!!!!"

Anesthesia Resident: "It would only be a little bit...."

Me: "NO PARALYTICS!!!! Do you UNDERSTAND that if I find out that she was giving a paralytic there will be BIG TROUBLE!!! I received the WORST phone call of my life a year ago and we ARE NOT going to have a repeat of that!!!"

Anesthesia Resident: "It would only be a SMALL AMOUNT!!!"

Me: "WHO IS YOUR ATTENDING...GET HER NOW!!!!!"

I showed great restraint in NOT pulling her head off her shoulders and shoving it up her back end!!!

The attending arrived and after I firmly informed her that NO paralytics would be used and Dr. Frim also agreed the anesthesiologist very eagerly agreed that "Of course the would not use a paralytic" and everyone was happy.

I will say I nearly canceled surgery feeling this was a sign that God was telling me NOT to do surgery and I nearly asked to go back to the OR until she was put under. But I could not bring myself to tell them I was going back. I was so afraid that if I went back something would happen and I would see it happen to her. It is bad enough to have to imagine her reaction....but to witness it... It makes me want to vomit a bit.

We arrived at the red lines and hugs and kisses and I Love You's were exchanged. I bravely watched as she walked away with Tracy (CLS) and Gary (the nurse).

Surgery went well, she was out in 2 hours, we spent 2 hours in recovery and after the PACU nurse thinking she was leaking CSF we were transfered to the 5th floor.

We arrived at 6pm, she went to the potty at 7:30pm after morphine and Zofran. She ate and then proceeded to ask for morphine ever 2 hours. (she could only have it every 3 as needed for pain)

She slept for 3 hours, and another neurosurgery resident woke her up at 11pm and Linds proceeded to be up until 5:30am Thursday morning.

2 of the NPs and 1 Resident came in at 645am and told us we could go home.

After a trip to the playroom we were discharged to the RMH....