We left home early (before 4 a.m.) this morning to make it to All Children's Hospital in St. Pete. Lillie was scheduled to have surgery at 7:30. Everything went well, we arrived on time and everyone was very nice. They gave Lillie a lil teddy bear that has a Tampa Bay Bucs logo on it. Even though we are NOT Bucs fans, it was too sweet to see her cuddle the bear.
It was very hard on all of us to see them take her away. They took her before they gave her any meds to calm her. She looked back and cried for us, and I thought "oh no! She will not trust us!"
The surgery itself lasted a little over 2 1/2 hours. Dave and I were exhausted and the nurse had to wake us up in the waiting room! When I finally got back to see Lillie in the recovery room, she was a mess, and I felt HORRIBLE! She calmed down when I sag "Jesus Love Me" to her. But it was obvious she was in pain and VERY uncomfortable with all of the wires and things attached to her. She was sent up to PICU as a precaution.
It was a long day, but we got her comfortable (as comfortable as one can be with their mouth full of stitches, hooked up to numerous machines, and a big stitch through your tongue and taped to the outside of your cheek) and then started thinking about us.
We were told that a Ronald McDonald House was located in the hospital and everyone told us that at least one of us should check in to it and get a good night's sleep. Dave and I decided that he would stay in the "House" and I would sleep on the pullout in Lillie's room. The room at The Ronald McDonald House ended up being a real blessing!! Not only was it a room, but they have a kitchen stocked full of food for the guests to use, and so Dave and I had dinner and breakfast there. Dave stayed the night there as planned, and then he came in the morning to relieve me and I was able to go there and take a well needed nap.
In the mean time, Lillie was slowly getting better, and by 1:30 Friday we were on our way home! I forgot to mention that my sister Kathy came to the house and stayed with the kids and dog and took them to all of their usual activities, so I really could concentrate on Lillie and not worry about home. When we got home tonight, some good friends made us dinner and brought it over. Lillie was very sleepy. She slept all the way home, and has slept all evening as well. It is so good to be home.
