7.30.2008

Chiari, Part III

Part 1
Part 2

The surgery was scheduled for February 11th, 2002. It was a difficult time. T-bone's headaches got worse and more frequent every day.
The community was amazing, though. The teachers were wonderful. His baseball team, coaches, & Team Mom went out of their way for us. One of the baseball moms offered to help with transporting Ladybug to school while Tbone was in the hospital. A group of fellow PTA/Volunteer Moms got together and raised a chunk of money for us, which made me cry. The coaches were literally fighting to have him on their team the next season, as a show of support for him. I never loved my small town more.
So, the day came. The girls were with my mom, and the baseball mom was helping get Ladybug to school. We got up at the crack of dawn to be at the hospital (the one I now work in!) for the dreaded event.
I vividly remember sitting the waiting room thinking, we could just take him right now, and run out the door, and call the Neurosurgeon and tell him to forget it. I wanted so badly to run out of there with him that I could literally feel it in my body.
But we didn't. We stayed and they called us back. We stayed with him through all the prep, until it was time to wheel him into the OR. Only then did I let myself cry, and the nurse almost stopped to comfort me, but I was so determined that T-bone didn't see me cry. I wanted him to feel only confidence going in. I waved her away, and they kept on going.
The wait was long and brutal. My sister and niece were there too, for moral support. At first we walked around outside, but then as time went on, we got more tense and anxious. We were in the waiting room when the call came in.
It was the same nurse who almost stopped to comfort me. She told me the surgery was over, and he was doing great.
And then she said, "Do you want to talk to him?"
I wasn't sure I'd heard her right, but I said "yes!"
And then I heard a very groggy, eight year old boy say "Hey Mommy."
It was the best phone call I had ever received, or will ever receive in my life. I'd never heard anything more beautiful than those words.
I cried and cried (and am crying now). I was so relieved that the worst part was over!
But there were still rough days ahead.

To be continued...

Part IV

9 comments:

Unknown said...

awh, that's precious :)

GypsiAdventure said...

oh the joy...what a brave little boy!
~K

Far From Perfect said...

God bless this little guy

Ness said...

You have one phenomenal son there, and it sounds like a great hospital with caring nurses. Waiting for the next part...

anymommy said...

I'm crying now. Thanks for sharing this story.

Rickrack and Pompoms said...

I just came across you blog today, wow you all are brave and such an amazing story. I will continue to read, thanks for sharing.

Queen of the Mayhem said...

I can only imagine! Both of my kids have had tubes put in and their adenoids removed and that alone almost did me in....I can't IMAGINE brain surgery!

Unknown said...

My mom has had three different brain surgeries for Parkinson's Disease (all elective surgeries) so I understand that long wait. I also understand that weight lifted off of you when the nurse lets you know that the person you've been thinking of for that LONG period of hours is doing fine.

I can't imagine it being my child. It was bad enough being my mother! I'm crying right now reading this. Thank you so much for sharing it.

GingerJar said...

My 1st time to your blog. My hubby's cousin had this surgery a few years ago. She said that prior to the surgery the headaches were so bad, it felt like lightening bolts shooting down her arms to her fingers and then she would throw up and throw up. She's on myspace and she actually posted pics of her incision. (not sure if I would go that far) she is doing really good now and works full time and is taking care of her family without any residual problems. I hope your son makes a speedy recovery. Just getting relief from the headaches would be heaven-sent! My son had spinal menigitis when he was 10...I was so scared when he went in to have the spinal tap. I'm a nurse now, and I love ped's, but won't work it because I cannot stand to stick a needle in a child...just cannot do it...never!