Carter's First Surgery

Carter had to have a circumcision revision done today. That just means that his circumcision when he was born didn't work quite like it should have. We met with a pediatric urologist a couple of months ago and made the decision to get it fixed now. His surgery was scheduled for 7:30am at St. Vincent's Hospital in Beaverton. We had to be there by 6am, so we left our house by 4:45 which means we got up at 3:30. It was quite the morning! Carter did so well! We woke him up at the last minute, changed his diaper, and put him in the car. He couldn't eat anything this morning which made me a little nervous. He was great! He just jabbered most of the way, happy as a clam, and then fell asleep for the last ten minutes. He woke up happy and energetic and loved looking at everything in the hospital lobby. They checked us in right away at 6. The kids part of the lobby was so cool. There was a big boat that Carter loved! He just sat and steered the wheel until it was time to go back.




We had a wonderful nurse that was so good with Carter and us. I was a little bit of a basket case. I just hated the thought of handing my baby over to a stranger and seeing the look of panic in his face! She was great and did all of his stats, we got him dressed, and all ready for surgery. This part took about an hour. Carter was a champ! Then they let us hang out in another little waiting room that had lots and lots of toys. Carter was again in heaven!



Waiting to be taken to surgery.


This was right before they took him from us. They gave him a little medicine that would help make him really drowsy and out of it. This was so that he wouldn't freak out when they took him from us. It helped so much! He didn't even look back at us when they carried him away. No crying or anything! This was the part that I had the most fear about! Thank you Lord for making that easier on him and me. I still cried however!


We were able to grab something to eat while he was in surgery. We couldn't eat anything in the pediatric lobby so we sat right outside that lobby in the main hospital lobby. There were signs everywhere saying no food or drink but the receptionist told us it was fine. We thought it was funny that I was eating right by the no eating sign though.

They took him right at 7:30 and the nurse let us know that he was almost done in surgery at 8:20. Two minutes after that, the surgeon came out to the lobby and told us that everything went great. He would be waking up soon and we could go back in just a couple of minutes. Two minutes after that, the nurse came and got us. As we were walking back there she said he was freaking out. He had woken up in the operating room and was inconsolable. I was trying everything to keep myself from running, since I had no idea where he even was. When we walked around the corner of the room, the nurse was holding him and he looked like he was asleep. Then he saw us and cried hard again until he was all snuggled up with me. I was able to feed him which helped a lot since he hadn't eaten since the night before. Then the hardest part came when they needed to show us how to take care of the surgical site. He freaked out and didn't stop crying for at least 20 minutes. The nurse couldn't even take his final vital signs because he was screaming so hard. He finally settled down when we left the hospital and were walking to the car. He fell asleep within minutes of starting the car and slept all the way home.

This is right after they handed him to me. Thank you Lord that my baby is okay! That's all I was thinking at that moment! I know this isn't a big surgery, but I was still so nervous!



After he nursed, he scarfed a whole banana down! He loves his bananas!

Our Carter man was a champ today! He did so well and we are so proud of him. He even took a three hour nap this afternoon and let us also take a three hour nap. We all needed it. He is definitely in some pain and he screams when we have to change his diaper and put Vaseline on but other than that he has been doing really well.

What a week!