The Surgery

The surgery on Friday went very well, very successful.  It lasted about 4 hours.  The surgeon was very pleased with the result.    But it's been a very tough two days!   San went to ER with kidney stone the day before her surgery.   By God's grace, things worked out just fine.   San was able to come home from ER that night (with the help of strong pain medicine), and stay home with the kids at night.    I stayed in the hospital with Pearl by myself, and used this opportunity to spend some quiet time for myself and to bond with Pearl.  My parents came to spend the whole Friday with the kids.   

San is doing much better now with pain medicine.  He will have the laser procedure done on Tuesday.   A painful procedure that he is very familiar with - this is probably his 4th or 5th time doing this procedure........      

5:45am at check-in that morning, once again we were reminded of God's rich blessings - We are blessed with a very good health insurance through San's work.    The whole surgery cost us only $200 co-pay, which we were so glad to pay.    Everything else will be covered 100% under insurance!    (Something we knew before we adopt, but it is still unbelievable!  The best $200 we've ever spent! ha,ha...)

Pearl in her hospital gown with her usual happy smile - she had no idea what was coming.

I always think back the moment when the anesthesiologist just took her from my arms on that morning, before we realized that was the goodbye moment.   She struggled and cried hysterically and kept turning her head back to San and me begging for help.    She must be wondering why we didn't take her back, or why we gave her away to a stranger.     I wish Children's Hospital has done it a little differently.   We didn't even get a chance to say goodbye before the surgery.  To this day, we still regret about this.

The surgery ended at 11:18am.    After about half an hour, the nurse called me to the post-op room.

Pearl in her hospital room.     She wasn't happy at all.   She would cry every time a nurse or any one in uniform walked into the room.  

The next morning, 4/10, Pearl is already doing much better, but still frustrated at times.

Her arm restraints are to prevent her from scratching or pulling her lip and nose.   We need to take it off, one at a time, every two hours to rub her arm to allow circulation. 

Daddy, Sam, Ben and Faith came to visit and brought two big "Feel Better Soon" balloons.   She likes them very much.      That night we went home.

We are home now - with doctor's permission, a day earlier than expected.   Pearl was, to a point, totally traumatized by doctors and nurses.   Whenever someone walked into the room, she started to cry.   Since she is recovering smoothly, we felt that she would probably feel more secure at home.

Without the medical equipment, without the nurses and doctors, she is much more calm at home.    
 
We are using syringe to feed Pearl now, on liquid food only, and she is not happy at all.    She refused to eat on the first day, but finally gave in (probably too hungry) yesterday, and started to eat some.    Pearl wants us to carry her almost all the time, day and night - probably due to the combination of hunger, pain, breathing problem, frustration and fear.      Her arms are restrained and she is not allow to walk freely by herself , because any scratching or falling can easily tear the stitches.     It is like everything she was used to here with us in the past three months was taken away from her.       Things that she was capable to do on her own, she is not allowed to do now.      It is so hard to see her going through all these.    Pearl finally smiles for the first time after the surgery when she waved good-bye to my mother, who came to visit this afternoon.

   
Back at home, she seems to enjoy the peace, the sunshine and the stroller ride so much.    To my precious Pearl:  the sunshine reminded us hope that the pain will go away in a week or two and you will be able to walk and eat freely again.        God is watching over you, and He is good to us!