So this will be my final update for surgery day. We were able to get in the PICU room with her around 9:30 pm (Cinci time). She looks so peaceful. Bear is right by her side. He even got to go into the OR with her. He has made almost every step of this journey along with Bart, Gabby and myself. Today has been a incredibly long day for everyone but I have been relaxed and at peace the whole day knowing that the Lord was watching over her and the surgical team. She is on several different medications currently as they try to find the right combination of pain/anxiety/sedation medications to help her rest and not make any major movements. Her heart rate has been a little elevated since arriving in the PICU, this is to be expected from being moved around and getting her situated. Her tiny body has been through so much today. If I could get on that bed at this very moment and take her place I would do it. Even though the surgery is behind us now, her long road to recovery now begins. The pain she is currently feeling is probably unlike anything most of us adults have ever felt. The pain is so intense around her pelvic region that most people would receive a epidural. Because of her spinal defect/ tethered cord she can't have a epidural so we have to rely on several IV medications to try to relieve the pain. It will take a little time to find that magic mixture that is just right for her. Thankfully she is still on the respirator and able to be sedated so that she doesn't move to much and hopefully lack of movement will help prevent pain.
As for the surgery itself. I realized later on today that I put the start time of her surgery to early b/c I used central time and we are on eastern time right now. Her surgery started around 9:15am or so and finished up after 6pm. We were able to meet with Dr. Alam, Dr. Mehlman, and Dr. Pan after the surgery. Each one of them walked out and greeted Bart, Granny D, Mary and I with a smile. They each seem very happy with their own personal parts of the surgery. Dr. Pan (plastic surgery) was who we met with first. He told us that he was very happy with the amount of lower abdominal wall muscle she had a available to work with. He was able to completely close her abdominal wall with only cutting a little fascia (white part of the muscle) to give him a little more room to work with. He also put in a drainage tube to prevent fluid from gathering between the ab. wall muscle and her skin. Dr. Mehlman (ortho) was the next doctor we met with. He also seemed pleased with results of his part. He was able to get her entire pelvis pulled together. He also said that the pins he placed during the end of the surgery are extremely secure. Lastly and most important was the meeting with Dr. Alam (urology) this surgery was his baby. He started out by telling us that Gabby's is one of the most complicated cloacal exstrophy cases he has ever worked on. He said that he had the bladder itself closed at around 1pm today but that the rest of the time he was dealing with the omphalocele and trying to get it under control. He said that he could tell that there was quite a bit of scar tissue from her original surgery at birth but that he didn't mess with it much because his primary concern is her bladder. He feels that they were able to get everything closed and that even though there is some pressure it shouldn't be enough to be concerned. As he said he will be in control of the situation with her fluid intake and output. Her bladder has already started producing urine, this is great news! When Bart and I asked him if he had a day that he would feel comfortable saying we were safe. He said that we probably wouldn't see him smile a lot over the next two weeks, he tends to be a worry wart.
Tonight we ask that you pray for her comfort. Pray that her pain be minimal and that they are able to find the right mixture of pain medications for her. I also ask that you pray that she doesn't get pneumonia.
At the moment I was typing my prayer request.. she woke up. Even though she never made a sound you could tell she was crying. Her little body was shaking- I think that was probably one of the hardest things I have ever watched her go through. We feel completely helpless at this point. Thank you to everyone that has been keeping up with her all day and praying. Please continue to do so because it one of the major things that is going to get her out of that bed and into our arms the fastest.
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