Surgery Day Schedule

We have a time, though we are cautioned that it could change. The scheduler implied it might change to *earlier* rather than later.

Tuesday, November 24
7:00 a.m. Arrive Scottish Rite
7:30 a.m. CT scan
8:30 a.m. Check in at Day Surgery with the expediting form
10:30 a.m. Surgery

At some point they will give him a drinkable calming liquid, which takes 30 minutes to take effect. Then we will say goodbye and they'll take him into the O.R., put the breathable "sleep medicine" (as our kids' books about hospitals both call it) in first, and then finally the needles. I like this plan, because I'd been wondering how you get a fussy toddler to calm down long enough for needle sticks.

We're told it's 4-5 hours of surgery, but I'm guessing that even if things go close to as scheduled, it could easily be 4:30 p.m. before surgery is finished.

Our friend Lalah has offered to join us for the wait through surgery, for which we are most grateful. She is also coordinating all food deliveries and some portion of child care after we get home. Seth's mom is coming into town Monday to take care of Jex for the week. Their Thanksgiving plans are still up in the air, but we know ours will be at the hospital. We have a friend visiting that day, we have snacks going with us, and we're alerted that holidays at the hospital are quite special. Being vegetarian, we think that might mean we spend the whole day refusing turkey offerings.

Today Zyle's class had a party for us. It will be at least three weeks from Monday before he goes back to school. They gave him a surgeon bear (from Build-a-Bear) and a poster with all the kids' pictures and handprints. The new-favorite Zyle photo that I posted here earlier is in the center of the poster.