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Pre-Surgery Fun...



We're home from Shriners Hospital in Philadelphia. It was a rough day. We got up at 12:30 AM, left home at 1 and arrived at Shriners (with the help of our terrific Shriners chaffeurs) at 5:45 AM. Aaron's surgery was scheduled for 11 AM, but the OR staff asked us to be there at 6:30 in case we got bumped forward. As it turned out, we were: whoever had the first slot was a no-show, and Aaron went into surgery around 8 AM.

Aaron went into the hospital happy and trusting, ready for another routine trip to the doctor's office. We tried to prepare him for what was coming, but it was difficult because the whole thing came upon us so fast-- we were dropped into a empty slot on less than a day's notice.  He did fine until he awoke from his anesthesia. Then he was absolutely inconsolable.  He cried for hours.  It was hard to watch.  It is in those times of watching his grief and anger and pain that we feel so helpless to comfort him. Watching him try to self-soothe by rocking or banging his head is heart-wrenching.  He finally calmed down after about three tearful hours in the van.

Everything changed after we stopped for a meal, when we set him down on his new casts and he figured out that he could walk. This seemed to be an important revelation to him. His whole attitude changed after that, although he was still uncomfortable. I know that part of his behavior was a reaction to all of the anesthesia, and that he was angry about the sudden and ill-explained change in what had become routine casting trips. Chances are that he will remember little of those first hours after the surgery.  Honestly, that doesn't make it easier.

Tonight he is content, although he looks like he has been run through the wringer a couple of times.  I don't think Rob or I would win any beauty contests either.  It's been a draining day.  How grateful we are for all of the prayers and love sent our way, and for the dedication of the men and women of the Acca Shrine transportation group. It would've been so much worse if we'd had to drive for ourselves.

As for the results, they were a bit disappointing. The goal of the surgery today, a "bilateral tenotomy," was to nick his Achilles' tendons so that they could be stretched enough to bring his feet down to "plantigrade," heels and toes on the floor. Unfortunately, his ankles are so stiff with scar tissue from earlier (non-Shriners) surgery that merely releasing the tendons a bit wasn't enough to bring his heels down. So it's more "casting calls" back to Shriners for us in the coming weeks, trying to get his heels down yet again.

Still praying for Masha and Eddie.