Surgery and Sedation

Rock star in his new shades.

Mac had surgery today.  To be technical it was for Strabismus and Amblyopia.  In English, he had his lazy eye fixed... hopefully.  He had surgery on both eyes to make sure they would move in tandem.  We love the surgeon, Dr. Moody.  He brought Mac a super soft teddy bear, a shark 'cold' pack and a pair of sunglasses just before they took him back for surgery.   So, you know, it was similar to all our military doc surgeries.  Ehem.  We have many friends that are military doctors, but there is no way I am going to pretend that having surgery in a military hospital even comes close to having it elsewhere.  And today, Mac's operation was at a great pediatric surgery center.  Every staff member was kind and polite and great with the kids... they gave him a small stuffed monkey too.  He made out like a bandit!  The surgery went great.  Doc says he may develop 2 black eyes.  I say: if he does, we'll make up some amazing story as to how he got them :)

Right after surgery.  Asleep thanks to an extra sedative... no fisticuffs today. *see explanation below.

My sweet Mac is very passive aggressive.  So, passive aggressive that he usually wakes up from surgery screaming, kicking, biting, spitting and hitting.   I'm glad this surgery center actually listened to me when I told them that and decided to give Mac an extra sedative after surgery to keep him calm.  Worked like a charm.  Though this time he was quite weepy, like I usually am.  Ask Geoff about it sometime... I remember waking up and begging for my husband so pathetically that they finally brought him back to me.  Later he told me he could hear me crying and calling for him from out in the waiting room.  So sad.

Even though it's a bit sad and pulls at the heart strings, it is also quite humorous and adorable (NOT like me) when children are waking up from sedation--as long as they aren't trying to kill someone. Here are some of Mac most memorable comments after surgery today--all said while he was slightly weeping and/or whimpering:

*upon first waking "My eyes were casted."--really they were just patched for a little bit--which was closely followed up by, "I can't see, mom.  How'm I gonna get to the car?"

*a few minutes later, he awakes from a snore. whimpers."I can't open my eyes. When will I be able to see my beautiful mother's face?"*yes, moms heart squeezes at that... he thinks I'm beautiful :)

He was also very concerned that he wouldn't be able to actually see Geoff whenever he gets home.  See what I mean about the blind thing?  The poor kid thought his eyes were permanently damaged.  Anesthetic is an evil necessity.  I sure don't want to have surgery while awake... I guess I have technically, since I've had 2 c-sections.. but I digress.  I just really, really don't like what the anesthetics do to me and my kids.  Worst. feeling. ever.

Big hug for mom when he could finally open his eyes enough to see me.  I think he thought he was literally going to be blind for the rest of his life.  It was so sad, can't imagine what that would feel like to wake up thinking you are blind.  Glad to know he'd miss seeing me.

*again later after more sleeping and snoring and whimpering
"But mom, my eyes are all blurry. How am I supposed to do my chores and stuff?"
**such a great kid! he thinks mom is beautiful and he's worried about doing his chores while laying in his recovery bed! he must have been seriously drugged :)

Tick, Tock and Sheep

I just have to share what I am experiencing right this moment....

My house is so quiet I can hear all my clocks ticking... and then there is Emeryss, up in her bed counting her heart out (and I'm wondering, who taught her to count sheep?) 1, 2, 3, 47, 52, 47, 59, 47, 98, 5, 6, 76, 29, 18, 20. Ready or not. 1, 2, 3.... and it all starts over again. Yes, we played hide and seek for family night, how ever did you guess? I love listening to her, she is soooo darling! And she counts so well, she must take after Geoff :)

Quotes of the Week Vol 3

Ready for this?  Warning: You may want to relieve your bladder before reading, giggling uncontrollably is a possible side effect.

1. The kids had a half-day Friday and thus came home to eat lunch.  Daeglan did not understand the change in routine and cried all the way home on the bus, telling the bus driver:  Take me back.  Why are you starving me?  I need my lunch! 

2.  On learning of our new house and another move, Brody was reluctant, mostly about the school change.  He said to me: Mom, how can I go to a British school?  I'm American, I don't speak English.

3.  The other day driving in the car Emeryss gets it in her head we are going the wrong way. She insisted that we were not headed for home.  I assured her we were.  The following is how our conversation proceeded from there.

Ryss: We are not!

Me: We are too.

Ryss: We are three, we are four, Mom.  We are not two, we are not going home! 

4. For some reason we got on the topic of babies and Mac wanted to know whose tummy everyone was in.  After talking about how I was in Grammie's tummy and Geoff was in Nana's our conversation had this interesting development.

    Mac: Mom, was I in your tummy when I was a baby?

    Me:  Yes, you were in there with Daeglan.

    Mac: Then you threw up.

    Me:  What?

    Mac: I was in your tummy and then you threw up?

    Me:  What?

    Mac: You threw up and then there I was, a cute, new baby.

Quotes of the Week, vol.2

Here we go:

1.  Mac's tooth was loose and he was fiddling with it; "Look mom, my tooth is a door to my mouth, it opens and closes!"

2.  When our snails escaped Mac said, "Oh man, they ran away.  I guess they didn't like us."  To this Brody nonchalantly responds, "They don't wear shoes, Mac.  They can't run."

3.  Daeglan's new favorite phrase, "Da** It!"  I promise he didn't learn that from me!  Well, he might have, but....  I know it's not funny for a five year old to swear, but if you could only hear him with his little speech impediment and all.

*Ok, so I started feeling bad about this one.  He may or may not have picked it up from me or Geoff.  We really don't swear, but things sometimes slip out before the brain can react and close your mouth for you.  Anyway, we are trying to correct this problem.  And he doesn't yell it out, usually just mutters it under his breath so it is barely audible.  Anyway, maybe I should have just deleted this all together.  Great! Now I have guilt. (gotta love the dinosaur on Toy Story)

4.  Emeryss explaining why she cut off all her hair, "It was sticky, Mom.  I had to get it off."

Quotes of the week!

Ok, so my kids say some of the funniest things I have ever heard and I thought, why not share!

So I am going to try and do a Quotes of the Week, just to prove just how crazy this clan is.

There are too many things to choose from this week, so this first one might include some past quotes that aren't quite as recent.  But as this is my blog, I can do what I want....

1.  Brody (about a year ago)- "Mom, when I grow up will I have a chest like yours, cause I really want to?"

2.  Mac (under heavy sedation for stitches last winter)- crying and crying he says, "My brain is too small, I can't move my arms."  to my friend Traci who was with us and laughing hysterically at him "Naughty, Naughty, Naughty."  May not sound that funny, but trust me it was.  His lazy eye was so crossed, his lisp was even worse and he couldn't hold his head up.  Nothing like a drunk 4 year old.  he was like that drunk mouse on Alice in Wonderland.

3.  Daeglan (says it almost daily)- "Mom, when I grow up I want to be a pirate.  I want to cut off my hand and my foot so I can have a hook and a peg leg."

4.  Emeryss (favorite phrases)- says as she shakes her head and puts a hand over one eye "I tan't beleaf dis."  When she loves being a girl, "Dirl Power!  I'm Super Dirl!"

5.  Brody (yesterday waking up from surgery and really wanting to go home)- "Come on Mom, what's more important my teeth or my family?"  (back story, I use this phrase, "what's more important your toys or your family?" when they are fighting, haha)