We finally have times

Well, we came to St Louis today. It rained all the way down here. First, Kai had his Echo done. His aorta is now at 4.8, so that growth spurt in July wasn't just in his height, his aorta grew by .1 cm. Next, he had chest x-rays done and blood drawn. Then we met with the surgeon. This conversation went much better than the one on the phone. He explained to Kai that he thought he would be able to correct his breastbone, but that it would cause more pain than just the open heart surgery. Kai decided he wasn't going to bother having his breastbone done. He didn't want to add to the pain intensity and time to heal. It's his body, so if that is what he wants, then that's ok w/ me, I just think he will regret it later because that is all he has been talking about lately: how much he wants it corrected. Maybe tomorrow he will change his mind.

After we met w/ the surgeon, we met w/ the anesthesiologist, Cathy. Very nice lady! She did say something that I had not heard before. You know you always hear about people who say they heard the doctors/nurses talking during the surgery, well apparently, as they are switching him over to the heart-lung machine, the anesthesia hasn't been thru it yet, so for a short period of time, he may wake up a little and be able to hear what's going on, but as soon as the blood gets back into his body, the anesthesia kicks back in and he'll be out again. She said approximately 40% of adults who are put on the machine experience this. They will give him some Versaid when he gets there to calm him down and said that it really acts like a short term memory eraser. He may not even remember coming to the hospital when he wakes up. Linnea had Versaid before both of her surgeries and was pretty loopy and hilarious, but when she woke up, she knew that she had had surgery. She doesn't remember anything she said or did while waiting in the prep area though.

So, we had to get an antibacterial ointment for Kai. He is to put it in his nose every morning and every night for 5 days to help prevent any germs from sneezing or touching his nose then touching his chest. We were also given one of those Betadine scrub pads that they scrub in for surgery with. He is to take a shower tonight, wash his face w/ his regular stuff, wash his hair w/ his regular shampoo, then scrub the rest of his body with this scrub. They will repeat it in the prep area, then again in surgery and hopefully, this will prevent any infections. He can not eat anything after midnight and nothing in his mouth after 4am.

We have to be at the hospital at 6am, they will take him to the OR at 7:30, then start the surgery about 8:30. Should last about 4-5 hours. The anesthesiologist said when they start to wake him up at the end of surgery, if he is showing signs of being able to breathe on his own and want the breathing tube out, then they will go ahead and take it out, but if he is not fighting it, then they will leave it in until he is conscience enough to want it out.

He is doing remarkably well, but I think he is more trying to ignore it than anything. I think once he is at the hospital and in the gown, it will be a different story. They said they wouldn't start any IV's until he was in the operating room and had already been gassed, that way, he wouldn't be awake to be poked. I, on the other hand, am very jittery. I feel kind of numb and tears have welled up a few times today, but Kai hasn't seen it. I'm afraid tomorrow it will be different for me too. I don't think I am going to be able to hold it back then. My mom & Jim are coming early in the morning to see him before he goes in. I don't know if they are going to stay all night or not. I asked Kai if he wanted me to stay w/ him tomorrow night and he said no. So, I asked him if he wanted anyone to stay w/ him and again, he said no. He said he could take care of himself. I said, "No, you will not be able to do anything for yourself. Everything will have to be done by someone else." So, I will probably stay in CICU w/ him tomorrow night. I'm going to take my stuff w/ me anyway. I just don't think I want to be separated from him on the first night.

Trace (my brother) is staying w/ Linnea and Spike. Linnea said he fixed spaghetti for supper tonight and he helped her w/ her homework. Today was Linnea's picture day at school. We got her hair cut on Tuesday and it really looks nice. She has lost another tooth and the 2 front ones are only about 1/2 way in so this should be an interesting picture:-) Trace got to experience what it was like in our house in the mornings trying to get everyone ready for everything. It was funny watching him sit back and watch the chaos ensue. First Linnea forgot her glasses, so Kai ran them out to her at the bus stop, then she came back. She forget to get another shirt to change into after her pictures (she thought she might get too hot in what she had on), so then I had to run downstairs real quick and get her another shirt and out to her before the bus came. By the time we left the house, I was dripping w/ sweat. I felt like I had just run a marathon. Most of the packing had already been done, but all the toiletries I had to use this morning couldn't be packed until this morning. But if you know me, I have a list for everything and yes, I had a packing list. And I checked things off as I put them in the suitcase. I haven't found anything important that I have forgotten yet.

Trace said Spike either sat on the stairs looking out the door or behind my chair looking out the door waiting for us. When he wasn't doing that, he was curled up in a ball all depressed. Poor Spikey! He missed Bryan so much over Labor Day weekend. He didn't want to leave the stairs then either. He was waiting on Bryan to come home. When we left this morning, he was trying to sneak out the door so he could go too. When he was told no, he couldn't go and had to get back upstairs, he had his tail between his legs, his head down, those big brown puppy eyes staring back so pitifully begging us not leave.

We got about a quarter of the way to Haven House this afternoon when I realized that we never went back to the pharmacy to pick up that ointment, so we had to turn around and go back. By then, it was definitely in the middle of rush hour and it took us about an hour to get to Haven House. This construction is supposed to continue thru 2010, so if you are heading to St Louis, better check the detours before you go.

The anesthesiologist said she would be able to take some pictures for us. Kai said he doesn't really want to see them, but you know me. I love the medical stuff, so I definitely want to see inside Kai and I. I am going to have them take photos during mine as well.

Ok, I'm tired of typing. I have texted many of you. My computer is going w/ me tomorrow and as I said, I will post updates as we get them. So, keep checking back. I probably will not be making any phone calls or texting. You can send e-cards to Kai thru the hospital website: http://www.stlouischildrens.org/Default.aspx?tabid=104 There is a place for a room number, but it is not required and we don't have a room number yet. He will be in CICU until at least Saturday, probably Sunday.

My pre-op is tenatively scheduled for me to be at the hospital at 9:30am on Monday. They just left me a message and I haven't gotten them called back yet. I will do that between 10 & 2 tomorrow. I'm going to see if they can move it to the afternoon so I can spend the morning w/ Kai.

I'm exhausted and have to get my shower taken so I don't have to do that in the morning. We have to leave here about 5:15am. It is going to be a long day. I have my Puffs Plus w/ me and a couple of Cheech & Chong movies to watch on my computer while we wait. That should take my mind off things!

Thank you everyone for all the love, support, and prayers you are sending our way. We need them and they are very much appreciated!

More to come.............. Later!