Going Through Surgery

Kissing her before her first surgery.

I find it to be the hardest thing I can do as a parent. Just give her away into the care of other people and I can't be there with her. The first time we had to go through this, I couldn't stop thinking about the moment that she would be leaving my arms... I thought to myself that that moment would be a mess. In my mind, I imagined that the baby and I would be crying while we departed ways in the Hospital's corridor.

Well, Isabelli's first surgery (clubfeet - the releasing of her Achilles tendons) happened when she was just 3 months-old, and God worked in amazing ways throughout the day. They asked us not to feed her anything for about 12 hours (or 8, I don't remember), and thankfully, Isabelli slept throughout the whole night and did not complain about it at all. And when it was time to go to surgery, she was asleep, and there was no tantrum.

After her first surgery.

Ok, now, one very hard thing all parents are worried about is with the anesthesia. We have to trust that we are working with the best doctors. I trust my baby's doctors and their choices of anesthesiologists. But above all else, I trust God, and I am always in prayer for Isabelli's life and His protection over her.

For me, the real hard thing is seeing my baby so helpless on a hospital bed, full of IVs. It hurts my soul at first, but then I focus and remind myself that this is for her own good and that she won't even remember in the future (but us, moms, will, right?).

After her second surgery.

After her first hand surgery (3 surgeries total so far).

Regarding the casts after surgery and how she handled it, I can say it was very good. The only time she really didn't like for the first days, was the second foot surgery, because she was very active, crawling all over, and she loves to move around when she sleeps, so she got really mad because she was not able to stretch her right leg. But by the third day, she was fine with it, and was crawling around with no problems. As well as with the arm cast.. she also crawled with no problems. Just be aware that the arm casts are easy to slip off. She had to have it replaced in the first week, because she took it off!! We had to run to the ER with her hand in stitches. If that ever happen to you, cover your baby's hand with gaze or a clean cloth and tape it around the wrist loosely, just for it not to fall and to prevent bacteria from infecting the area.

On a lighter note, I like to make drawings on her casts.. to make it fun! On her right leg cast (2nd surgery), I drew Nemo (her lucky fin buddy) and some flowers and on the arm, I drew hearts. Here it is:

Hope you can see part of the Nemo on her tight.

She LOVED her arm cast. Would Hug it all the time!