Under the scalpel - my Oldest Daughter - Open heart surgery - Wednesday . . .

Just got home . . . it's 1:30 AM . . .

I've been going since 4:00 AM yesterday morning, waiting for 10 hours of surgery, and had to leave my daughter in ICU - she still had a breathing tube in place ( she didn't like that ) but after 10 hours of surgery they're going to make sure that she can breathe on her own before they remove the tube, a 2 hour drive back home, in the dark, in the rain, uphill, both directions . . . ( now I sound like my dad ! LMAO ! ! ! ) I'll be heading back there tomorrow to check up on my baby . . . That you can count on ! ! !0

I was there when she opened her eyes, and she was communicating with me ( head nods and writing on paper ) . . . but I know she's OKAY and in the hands of a couple great nurses . . .

I'll go into some of the details, in more details . . . later . . . I don'r know what I'm running on . . .

THANKS to ALL at FBBO for all the kind words, prayers, support, and friendship ! ! ! You're the best ! !

That's terrific Larry, glad to hear your baby is all safe and in good health...... can't put a price on a healthy child!

That's great! Congratulations.

Glad the operation went well, I wish her a speedy recovery, my prayers are with you guys.

May GOD be with you and help the medical personnel.

Back to the hospital to check on my baby . . .

Had to leave the hospital last night and get home to get some sleep - not quite sure WHAT I was still running on until 2 AM in the morning . . . but my little girl ( she's 27, 28 at the end of this month - but she'll ALWAYS be my baby ) was coming out of the anesthetic, becoming more alert, and the nurses were working on getting that breathing tube out ! Time for me to leave, and not get in their way, and let them get what they needed done.

Nobody, no father, should have to experience the vision, the sight of their child, in an ICU unit, breathing tube in them "doing" the breathing for them ( under the anesthetic they "forget" how to breathe ), drain tubes weeping fluids from their body as the result of the surgery, IV tubes strung around them in a spider's web . . . I can't even begin to relay the image and "pain" that it injects into you. And seeing it on you 3 month old ( little tiny thing on a full sized bed ), then again on your 3 year old, and yet again on your 27 year old - I went back with her husband the first visitation ( only 2 at a time ) and he did pretty well ( but the pain, the fear, the tears - brought the gravity of the situation to him and overwhelmed him ) but I was very proud of him and very proud to have him as MY son-in-law.

How did I know that she was coming back to Earth and becoming more alert . . . because I'm worrying about her recovery, and shes trying to tell me and the nurses something . . . she was using sign language to spell out the words ( but in my state - I couldn't remember all the letters ) - so we got a pencil and paper to let her write it down . . . and she wanted to tell the nurses that I was rebuilding a 1967 Belvedere Convertible ! ! That's my girl . . . yup, she's doing much better ! I had to be there, with her, when she was coming back to - the sheer terror that I saw in her eyes when she first opened her eyes, not wanting that breathing tube down her throat, unable to talk - she needed to hear my voice, see my face, feel my hand holding hers, and hear me talk, telling her that she did great, to relax and calm down, I was there for her . . . I could not leave the hospital and leave her alone to face waking up without a familiar face there with her . . . she's my baby and she's my trooper !

Got a whopping 4 hours of sleep . . . can't sleep anymore, need to get back and check on my baby again !

By the grace of God, the marvels of modern medicine, the fantastic support of people like my family, and you at FBBO - we have made it past the first big hurdle - now to get her on the road to recovery, and her let her start on the next chapter in her life . . . from the news from the doctor - she may fell like a whole "new" person ! ! That's my hopes too ! !

More updates later . . .

You've been in our thoughts and prayers ... glad she is doing well. Tell her to keep up the good work!

Prayers to the little one and to the family. Wishing all a speedy recovery.

Know that feeling Larry, we are glad she's ok and that you and her husband are too. Hopefully she wont be as tired all of time and you all will have to try to keep up with her. Great news.

It always amazes me how God answers prayers! Hope all is well and continued prayer will be need everyone!

Great news and she sounds like a fighter! Hope the recovery is quick and goes as expected.

Thanks for sharing the good news

Great story Larry. Now you're gonna owe the docs and nurses rides in your 'vert when it's done!

conv67bdere said:

Got the news from the doctor . . .

Kept her mitral valve ( no mechanical )
Corrected her previous fontan ( changed external )
Did the Mays procedure to prevent arythmia
Installed a pacemaker to synchronize the A-V

All grest news, she'll be better than ever !

Thanks FBBO for The sport

Click to expand...

that's Fanfreaken'tastic news....
Glad to hear it too...

A speedy recovery coming next...

Did she have this surgery in Charlotte? I see you are in Concord.

Merry Christmas! You received The Best Gift of All !

Let the recovery begin, and let the Celebration begin after that!

God Bless.

God bless all of you!

Awsome!!!

Hot Damn! Glad to hear things are going in the right direction!

Friday . . . . 48 hours post-op . . . Progress report . . .

My baby is still in ICU, but the progress and improvements are continuing - the doctors are pretty happy with her continued improvement. I was treated this morning to my baby, in her bed, but the majority of the spider Web of IV tubes no longer convering the bed and wrapped all around her. There is a possible chance, if she continues to meet their goals, that she could be moved out of ICU and in to a hospital room today - great news !

My daughter informed me that her pain is much less today, and in the tolerable range, for her . . . I hate that she has any pain, but I'm glad it's becoming less . . .

Here's hope, to reaching the next goal, to be out of ICU today . . .