Freaked out

[Karen S.]

I am totally freaking out. Hannah was scheduled for her phrenic nerve pacing surgery on July 28th in Chicago. I received a phone call from the surgeron's office earlier this week that the surgeon will not be able to do in on the scheduled date. They can either reschedule for the first week of October, or July 21st, which is Monday.

We have decided to go for Monday. Needless to say the past few days have been overwelming. We had to reschedule plane reservations, find a new hotel, make new accomodations for my son and try to get all my projects done at work since I was not planning on being out next week. I will be luck if I make it until the end of the week.

I have everything physically prepared, but I am still trying to mentally prepare myself. For instance, I have researched this surgery for over a year and could probably do it myself, but yesterday the hospital faxed me the consent form to read and sign. When I read that they will open Hannah's left and right chest cavity to implant the pacer, I lost it and started to cry. For some reason it seems like a whole new ball game.

I am sorry to sound like a winer, but I just need to vent a little. You guys always make me feel so much better, even when I don't post and just read messages, I feel so much more relaxed.

I will touch base with you when we return on the 28th. Please keep us in your prayers.

Karen

[Ann]

Karen - GOOD LUCK Â* Â*

It can never be easy can it? Â*I can just imagine how freaked out I would be if I had everything scheduled and in place and they gave me one day (or less) to rearrange everything. Â*I think you were smart to move it up rather than wait, the anticipation would be worse. Â*You can always cope better when you have something to do.

I'll be thinking about you and Hannah (and her Dad) on Monday. Â*Please post when you can. Â*Don't worry about the surgery, kids are resilient. Â*

Ann

[christyw]

Karen,

When you read that form I'm sure you then really realized that it was happening to Hannah, instead of just researching it separate from her. I'm sorry you're going thru this. Please let us know how it all goes.

christy

[Jacob's Mom]

Karen,
I will be praying for you, Hannah, and your family.

I can't imagine how you felt after doing all that research and then consciously realizing - "this is going to happen to my child." Maybe having it sooner will be best for you - you can keep yourself busy in the days leading up to it. And it will be over more quickly for Hannah.

I hope all goes well.

[Karen S.]

Hannah came through her surgery with flying colors. I wanted to thank everyone for keeping us in their thoughts and prayers.

Surgery took a little longer than expected (6 1/2 hrs versus the normal 4 hours). There were no complications, they just wanted to test the electroides a few dozen times before they closed up. The good sign was that Hannah required very minimal electrical stimulation to get her diaphragm to take a breath.

It amazes me how fast children bounce back. Upon seeing her on Wednesday, I told my husband that there was no way that she would get discharged on Friday, and needless to say, she was discharged first thing Friday morning. We flew into St. Louis late Friday night and she has been running around the house like a wild woman Saturday morning. She gets easily exhausted, but knows when her body needs to rest.

I was very impressed by her surgeon. She made the two chest incisions in her lower breast area so that when she starts to develop, it will not interfere with her breast development and the scars will be hidden under her breast. The other two incisions are on her lower abdomen area slighly below her belly button. She also has two small openings where they had the chest tubes, but they have already closed up and are healing nicely.

She is still on the vent, but we head back to Chicago September 29th to have the pacer turned on. I am so looking forward to this since she starts preschool in January and will be able to go without her vent.

Thanks again for keeping us in your prayers. Best wishes to all.

[Jacob's Mom]

Yay Hannah! I am so happy that the surgery went well and continues to go well. You must be so relieved that it is over, for the most part, and that she will be able to go to school without the vent.

[Ann]

Karen - thanks for the update. Â*I'm glad everything went well. Â*I'm so happy for you and your family and I pray for the day Hannah will be free of the vent - at least during the day. Â*
Please keep us posted. Â* Â*
Ann

[christyw]

That is such awesome news!!!! I am SO happy for you all. The prospect of her going to preschool without her vent makes me very excited for her!

christy