Surgery over!!!

We've known since Eliza was born that she would need surgery to repair her cleft palate, but nothing can prepare you for sending your baby into surgery. Eliza was such a trooper waiting patiently in the little room before surgery. She got pretty goofy once they gave her the medicine to make her drowsy, giving us silly smiles and giggling. The doctor who carried her back for surgery said she didn't resist at all and actually kept leaning forward to put her face in the mask to put her to sleep-she is very curious about new things! Apparently she charmed everyone in the recovery room, also, being very mellow and sweet and just looking around. They brought her up to us around 5:30 in the evening, but fairly soon after she got to her room, she started having excessive bleeding from her mouth. It was pretty scary and we felt so helpless, not being able to do anything but hold her. She had to go back down for a second surgery within hours of the first one. Handing her over the second time was much harder. We appreciate so much all the prayers from friends and family during that time. She went through the second surgery so well, and we were able to meet her in the recovery room that time and carry her back to our room.

Getting ready for the first surgery...last time with a binky in her mouth!! She can't have it for a couple weeks after surgery, so we are officially done :)

She was pretty zonked out that night, but didn't want to be put down in her bed. She slept in the bed for a couple of hours with Joe or I standing by the bed watching her, but spent most of the night in my arms in the chair....

We kept trying to have her drink apple juice because once she could tolerate eating and drinking a little bit, then we could switch over to oral pain medication, which they said would be much more effective for her. She didn't want anything to do with her cup. When Clara and Hannah came to visit, we got out some chocolate pudding, and that did the trick!! We should have known that chocolate would be the first thing Eliza would eat :) She also liked the red jello!

The arms splints are to keep Eliza from putting anything into her mouth. She is supposed to wear them for the next 2 weeks unless she is within arms reach of us. They are really hard to sleep in, though, so we have either been holding her or lying next to her for her naps and trying to keep up with her while she plays.

It was so hard to keep her occupied when she was awake at the hospital because she isn't quite walking yet, and couldn't crawl around on the hospital floors. We walked many miles in the hospital hallways looking at all the bright animals on the walls. Children's hospital is a great place for kids!! We found this little car and she enjoyed being pushed around.

We had to really beg to go home the second evening, but I think all 3 of us had had enough of the hospital. Eliza's blood count was down because of the bleeding and 2 surgeries, but they were willing to let us go because she had done so well all day! She perked up so much when we walked in the door, and actually smiled when she saw her sisters, Nana, Julie, and T! I thought she would be ready for bed, but she stayed up crawling all over, up and down her slide, in and out of the laundry baskets, and all around the room playing with her toys until almost 9:30 that night!! We thought she might be having a weird reaction to the pain medication because she was so full of energy, but I really think she was just ecstatic to be out of our arms where she had spent the past 50+ hours!

Since we have been home, it has been exhausting keeping up with Eliza! We have to stay within arms reach of her while she plays unless we want to put the arm splints on. They just look so uncomfortable and she can't play or crawl very well with them, so we have been taking turns staying right with her. You hear how "busy" one year olds can be, but you have no idea until you stay with them for hours!!! We are trying everything to keep her occupied without putting things in her mouth. She had 2 baths yesterday and then ended up in the sink in the evening because it kept her happy for almost 1/2 hour!

The days are slowly going by, and it has been wonderful to have the help of my mom and Aunt Julie to keep the girls occupied, cook meals, and keep the laundry going. It will be so nice to have this behind us!! Being at Children's was a humbling experience when you see families who are going through much scarier surgeries and dealing with ongoing medical issues. We felt so blessed to have such a great hospital near by and had the greatest nurse (second to Aunt Molly!) during the days to take care of Eliza. Eliza has been such a strong little girl through all of this and is taking her medications so easily and actually turns her head to the other side after you finish the drops in the first ear. We couldn't be prouder of our baby!!!