Wednesday, January 5, 2011

T-Minus 12 hours...

Well we got the dreaded phone call... but let's talk about the good news first.

We got up fairly early & left by 9am today!! We wanted to be able to do a little driving around in downtown Chicago before we went to the airport to get my mom...which is exactly what we did. We started out going to Wrigley Field... now it is important to note that I am NOT a Cubs fan...but I just had to see the field cause it's so old & amazing!....but I don't feel like I'm a traitor to my Dodgers cause all we did was drive by & take a couple pictures! ;o)   (wink)

Next we (well I) decided that I wanted to go to the Sky Deck of the Willis Tower (what used to be known as the Sears Tower). We headed in that direction by taking major small side streets, & then going on the road boardering Lake Michigan. We got to Willis Tower & holy cow...downtown Chicago is just like downtown NYC......BUSY with NO place to park! We looked around for a place by driving around the block a bunch. Saw garages charging $35 for the day!!! The cheapest we found was $17. Unfortunately my mom was getting in at 11:30am so we wanted to head towards the airport at 11am...but we were driving around the Willis tower at 10:30am. So basically we only had 1/2 hr. There was no way I was paying $17 to park for just 1/2 hr! Then we'd have to hurry up the tower, hurry to the Sky Deck, hurry down, & hurry to the airport. I don't like hurrying! So we decided that downtown Chicago will be a day trip for us sometime later next week. THEN I can justify paying $17 for parking. We found the Original Pancake House & Mike Ditka's restaurant that Dustin wants to go to...so we'll just make a day out of it & then I'll kinda semi sorta feel "better" about paying $17 for a day!

So we found a Starbucks...(LOL it was one of the 40,000 that we saw today) got a coffee, & headed towards the airport. We got my mom, who got in 20 mins late, & then it was time to head to Brooklyn's pre-op appt. What a nice office they're in! We got to see Mim & Wendy (2 of the wonderful ladies that were in Dallas with Dr. Bauer for the conference). It was great to see them again! We met with Dr. Bauer who went over the "plan".

Pretty much everything that I'd thought remains the same: 2 expanders. One in her left forehead area that kind of goes towards the middle of her head. One kind of above her right ear that goes towards the back of her head. The ports, however, are a lot different than I thought. I'd thought they were going to go behind the ears. However...the left forehead expander's port will be under the nevus...actually ON the head. The right port will be in FRONT of her right ear. He said we can stay the night tomorrow night if we want, but we don't have to. We have decided, with the Moller's, that we all will stay the night. My mom can come back to the room with Cali so Dustin & I can stay the night...(IF Dustin wants to stay).

Speaking of Dustin... I usually get a little nervous when he starts asking doctors questions!! I never know what he's going to say so I am kind of nervous!! Well today he very much surprised me when he asked TWO of the questions that I had had already...but totally drew a blank & forgot to ask. He asked about the durability of the expanders & about the infection risk. Good boy!! ;o)

We then headed to a conference room with the Moller's for a teaching sesson about what will go on tomorrow & about the expanders. Our appt with Dr. Bauer was at 1pm & we didn't leave the office till 4pm! It was a long day, but very informative. All I can say is I'm glad I'm a nurse!!!!! :)

Then we came back to the hotel so my mom could get settled in. Then, of course, everyone fell asleep. Mom was on the couch, Cali was actually watching a movie on the couch, Dustin was asleep in bed, & that just left me & Brooklyn. I was quite peeved actually that I NEVER get to take a nap. Everyone else does, but Merilee never does! Well today...thank the Lord that he changed my thinking very quickly. I got to have a good hour plus...just me enjoying Brooklyn time. I needed that. Even though people were around, it was just me & her....& I loved every minute of it. I got out my video camera & took a short video & some pictures. We played, then I fed her...it was just a good time. Thank the Lord for changing my mind-set.

Then, as mentioned earlier, came the dreaded phone call. The hospital calls you the night before to tell you when to be there & when the surgery is. It's at 9:30am so we need to be there at 8am. So we'll get up & leave here at 7:30'ish. She can't have any formula after 3:30am so we're going to wake her up at 3am to feed her. Then she can have clear liquids until we leave at 7:30am. Boy this is going to be fun...

Prayers...prayers are needed for us all tomorrow, especially for Brooklyn, for her plastic surgeon Dr. Bauer, & for the anesthisiologist. We start (supposedly) at 9:30am tomorrow Central time. I won't be posting anything cause I'll be in the hospital all night but I'm always available on my cell. I'll post again when we get home on Friday. Thanks so much everyone for the thoughts & prayers so far...keep em coming!

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