Little Ladybug Hugs

Things are slowly getting better here – Ladybug is healing nicely from her Surgery a week ago, the incisions look impeccable, and according to the last contrast study there are no more obstructions. She does have very slow moving intestines (little to no peristalsis), so the process of getting her back on feeds will be long. The goal before she can start Pedialyte through the g-tube is for Ladybug to tolerate having her tube clamped for 24hrs.  This tests whether everything is able to move through nicely or not. Each day we add another 2 hours to the time. Today we will try 12 hrs and I’m sure she will do great. Providing everything continues to go well, Ladybug should be back on formula and out of the hospital in a couple weeks. 

Slow and steady wins the race – if this is the case Ladybug is going to smash that racing record. 

This morning we ventured to the lounge for the Wordworking with Home Depot activity. We worked together and built a fire truck to give to the 2 little monkeys at home. 

Ladybug was brought in to the OR for her surgery at 08:45 this morning. By 10:45 I was hoping for someone to come get me – but no one did. 11:45 – still no word. Finally at 12:45 the surgeon came out and said that the surgery went well.  They had found a stricture which is essentially a narrowing of the intestines. Because of this narrowing it was nearly impossible for food to get through which caused the 2nd obstruction.

The stricture was resected, and the small bowel(intestine) was stitched back together. She is now rocking a pretty large scar across her tummy that is held together with a topical skin adhesive known as Dermabond. This was new to me as her two previous surgeries she had steri-strips. I guess it is used more often in the USA as opposed to Canada – as it is rather pricey. (Her Surgeon was trained here at McMaster and then went to work at St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in Memphis TN. She is now, thankfully, back at Mac Kids).

Her hemoglobin levels were low before the surgery so Ladybug was given a blood transfusion to help get her back to her normal, she was also given an epidural for pain management. This will stay in for a few days.

Around next Thursday they will do another contrast test to make sure that the resection site has healed nicely and there is no leakage. If all looks good they will very slowly start her on a continuous feed of Pedialyte then move on from there.

She is now back in our room and resting nicely, hopefully I will be able to do the same tonight.

This morning, Ladybugs surgery team had a big meeting with all of the surgeons from the children’s hospital, and 2 from out of town. They went over her tummy x-rays, ultrasounds, and the CAT scan. They were all of the same opinion that there is another obstruction – this time it is further up in the bowel (Upper Left Quadrant).

She will be going in for another surgery tomorrow (Friday) sometime. It is pretty unheard of to have a second obstruction after just having one fixed so there will be a couple surgeons on call to give some fresh eyes if need be.

You would never know that she is unwell to look at her. In fact, she has become the biggest little diva I’ve ever seen. She could be fussy one minute, but as soon as a nurse or doctor walks in she turns on the charm and starts smiling, chatting, and staring up at them with those gorgeous big eyes. Ladybug has definitely won the hearts of everyone here.

I’m thinking I need to make a sign for her hospital crib in big sparkly letters saying – ‘Though she be but little, she is fierce!’. This little princess has been through and is still going through so much – but she is a fierce little diva and will get through this too.