I have been honestly scared of Expanders since I first learned about them. They sound scary and they look scary. I didn't want to do them and I was set to never let Haleigh have an expander ever!! Then I met another mom in person. Yes I am in a great online support group but meeting this mom and seeing her child and hearing her story with the surgeon we were there to see made me feel so much better. Haleigh had been asking to just "take it off" and since the expander is a faster way to do that and since my mind was out at ease we decided to go for it. Our surgery was scheduled for yesterday. This surgery was to simply put in the expander under her non nevus skin. I was a mess all the night before and the drive up was awful because it was full of fear and nervousness. Haleigh slept the whole time so she was good. We had to be at the hospital at 10 so we left at 5am. That was a great choice because about half easy up it started pouring down rain.
We arrived at Children's Hospital in Birmingham Alabama at 945am and got signed in. Everything went smooth and we were back into a preop room by 11am. She had a great nurse who answered all of our questions and was great with Haleigh. He in formed us the child that our surgeon was operating on was suppose to go back at 10 and didn't until 11. Haleigh was scheduled to go back at 1230 so it would probably be 130. I was so disappointed because Haleigh was starving, but to my surprise she never asked to eat she did however ask to drink but we were able to hold her out. Life Child came by with gifts for Haleigh. A little stuffed pig, colors, Dora color pages. And they read her a book about what she was going to do. The clock just kept ticking and Haleigh was really getting scared she had way too much time to think and kept asking if I was leaving and going to go with her in the surgery. I did not lie to her and made sure she knew I would stay with her as long as I could. And that I would be there when she woke up. She cried a little but was ok. Finally around 3pm it was her turn and she was ready to go back. She did so good. There were a few tears but I held it together in front of her.
It only took about an hour an a half before the dr was out talking to us. Everything had went very very well. He said he was keeping her in the hospital mainly because we live 5 hrs away and It was late. I was so happy to hear that she was in recovery and fine. We waited a little longer in the waiting room and when she was somewhat awake they let us wait in our room with her in recovery. She looked so good. Not swollen or bruised at all.
We got into her room around 8pm and we were so tired. Haleigh was a little uncomfortable. So we gave her some pain meds and turned on the amazing tv they have there. On demand Finding Nemo and Tangled is what got us through the night!! She woke up around 2 whining and in pain so more pain meds and then back to sleep. This morning she was all smiles.
This morning the dr came in and said she was doing great. Her heart rate had been up around 2 and since that was when she was in pain they said it was ok. And that if we felt like it we could go home. We were ready. Haleigh was ready so we ate and packed up.
Haleigh did great on the way home and has been playing with her sister and brothers since we got here. She's still sore and she's asked a lot of questions about the expander she rubs where it is just because I think it feels weird to her. She is still not swollen and not bruised.
Her follow up appointment is February 2nd and we will learn to do the fills then. I'm nervous but no longer scared of the expander or the fills. I'm just ready to get this done!!
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