Adventures of Rick and Kailey: Ellery's Surgery

Hey all, Kailey here.

Thursday, August 4th, Ellery went in for Retinopathy of Prematurity surgery. The night before she went in, I was so nervous I could hardly sleep! She wasn't allowed any food or liquid after 5 am, so I woke up with Rick at 4 and fed her her last bottle. We had to be at the NICU by 6:30, so I stayed up and got ready. It takes me a little bit to get her ready, since I have to switch her to her travel oxygen tank, and then get the case for her monitor. I also checked her diaper bag again, as I had packed it the night before, to make sure I had everything I needed. (As it turns out, I forgot the "key" for her oxygen tank, so I had to borrow one from the NICU! It's what turns the tank on and off.)

We got to the NICU and waited for a bit for Carolyn to arrive to get us ready. I called Janice in the meantime, since Rick couldn't be there she was going to come sit with me for the day, and pick Rick up later. (For those of you who don't know, Janice is a dear friend I made from church who has really been there for me during our whole NICU journey. Now that we are home, she comes over often to visit and see Ellery. I don't know what I'd do without her!) Ellery went back to an isolation room in the new NICU (which by the way is FABULOUS! Sort of jealous we weren't there!!) and we undressed her and hooked her up the NICU's monitors and oxygen. I thought it would be hard to be back in the NICU, since there are so many memories, good and bad, but since it was a brand new place I'd never really been, it wasn't really that emotional. I was scared to death for her surgery, but no reminiscing about NICU times. Everyone was so surprised at how big (and cute lol) she is! I was so glad we were in the NICU because we already know most everyone there, and they know us, and I like to show off Ellery.

While Ellery got her IV placed, I went to the main lobby and registered her. I met Janice up there. We went back and watched them prep Ellery, and then I just held her and cuddled with her until they were ready to start. She got eye drops periodically to dilate her eyes. She was so good! She hardly cried, I was so proud of her. I had to lay her down once they were ready to sedate her. She was kicking her little legs so fast and hard, and looking all around like crazy when they started to give her the drugs. Eventually her kicks got slower, and her eyes heavier and heavier until she fell asleep. I gave her big kisses, and that's when I left. I didn't see her intubated, but that's perfectly ok with me LOL

Janice and I got to stay in one of the new NICU transition rooms, which is where you would stay when you roomed in with your preemie. We watched TV a little bit, said a prayer, and just talked. I'm glad she was there, because I definitely started tearing up when I walked out of her surgery room.

Dr. R came in after a bit to tell me how the right eye went. He said he normally lasers 3000 times on an ROP eye, and with Ellery he only had to laser 670 times on her right eye! Hopefully that means she will retain a lot of her peripheral vision! Once he had looked at her left eye, he determine he was going to laser that one too, since we had her here and put out, and he only had to laser that one 510 times! So we are hoping that both eyes will retain some peripheral vision. I guess her retinas had grown out so far they couldn't see them on the RetCam. Only Dr. R could see them when he looked!

She woke up around 2:30, after Rick had gotten into town and to the hospital. Once she woke up, she started moving like crazy! She wanted that intubation tube OUT!! I was so afraid that once it came out, she wouldn't do very well, but they pulled it out, she went straight to nasal cannula, and was on about the same amount of oxygen she uses at home!! I was so proud, and so happy!! Her poor little voice is so hoarse though! I don't know if any of you have ever had surgery, but being intubated is not a comfortable thing. It makes your throat sore, and scratchy and raspy. She's also got a lot of crap built up that she just needs to cough out. It sounds awful; it makes me constantly clear my throat because it makes my throat feel awful LOL

Carolyn did talk us into going to dinner and a movie. She said we had the most expensive and experienced babysitters available, and to take advantage of it :) So we did! I was worried at first, I just don't like leaving her now that I've had her home, but it was really nice to be out with Rick. We haven't had the opportunity to do that since she came home. We saw Horrible Bosses, which was hilarious! I originally told Rick to pick the shortest movie playing, and that was one of them. I wanted to see it anyways, but I wanted to get back.

I did end up staying the night and Rick went home. She had a pretty good night, but didn't eat real great. Rick got back to the NICU around 7:00. We got the all clear to go home around that time, and we left around 8 or so. We have a follow up appointment with Dr. R on the 15th, so hopefully everything will be looking good. Today she is still pretty sleepy, and not too terribly interested in eating. I've been going about every 3 hours, and getting her to take anywhere from 1.5 ounces to 3. I think she still doesn't feel the best. Her throat is still raspy and she still needs to cough that crap out. Her eyes just look a little puffy. We have two different eye drops that we have to give her four times a day. But she seems pretty happy for having had surgery. Dr. R said she shouldn't be in any pain. When he does the same procedure on an adult, you would drive yourself home, and be awake and talking the whole time. She had to be out because you can't tell a baby to hold still and not move LOL

Did I mention just how much I love the new NICU? It's so nice! I could be a walking add for EIRMC lol. Also, it really was soooo great to see all the nurses that we had grown to know. They were such a huge part of our lives for 3.5 months, its hard not to miss them once you leave!

Well, I feel like I've written a novel! That was our big day. We were so scared, but it all ended up being good. I think the scariest thing was we've seen so many scary things happen to her, it was nerve wracking to have her be back in a vulnerable position like that. She's come so far from where she started, she really is our little miracle baby. I thank God everyday she is here with us, and doing so well. Even though sometimes I feel sad about everything that happened, I know that we are so blessed, and there are so many worse things that could happen. She escaped any surgeries while she was in the NICU. No PDA surgery, no NEC surgery. She is such a little fighter.

I'll leave you with some pictures from her surgery.