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Post-Op

As most of you know this has been one hell of a recovery for us!
 
I am just so ready to have my little boy back. So, on Thursday morning Cade went into surgery at approximately 9:30 am. For the next 1 1/2 hours I sat in the surgery waiting room pondering what things would be like when he was out and going over every possible scenario that could occur. I could have never prepared myself for what was to come.
 
Jake, Carter, and I went up to Cade's room where he was very upset. The anesthesia hits him like a ton of bricks. He really didn't fully come out of anesthesia the whole day. He of course refused food and drink that day as well. The night was holy hell. I couldn't make him comfortable, not any way possible. His pain was unbearable and it seemed as if the pain meds weren't working. Anyways, we got through the night and it was one night down. Good deal, I was ready to force some liquids down him and get our discharge papers.
 
Then, out of no where Cade had a seizure.
The nurse had just got done doing vitals and I was sitting right in front of him. No sign of it, it just happened.  I won't go into any more detail because I can't stand to re live that image. I immediately picked up my phone and called Dr. Miller's cell. Thankfully, she was already on her way to see him. She got there and tried to immediately start figuring things out.
 
This was our second ICU stay. I always have this gut wrenching feeling when you see the rooms where all the nurses and doctors run to and you hear the worry in their voices and see it in their faces. You know someone is in trouble in that room. This time, it was our room. It was my kid who was being worked on. I was their by myself, and glad I was. I would have not wanted Jake or Carter to have had to experience that. 
 
Nothing really came of Cade's labs. All his levels were normal..sodium was a little low...but no real reason why he had the seizure. Dr. Miller thinks it was a one time post op event and will probably(hopefully) never happen again. We know he doesn't have epilepsy...He had just had an EEG with his sleep study the week prior. Nothing added up..or made sense. It still doesn't really.
 
All the negative aside, there are many things I am thankful for. I know things could always be worse and I always try to imagine that...
We are all home safe and sound now. I think Cade is getting a little better day by day. Today he ate and drank really well for us. Now, just hoping his night goes smoother with not too much pain.  

I am thankful for my great circle of friends and amazing family who has been by our side from Day 1. Without the Prayers, Love, and Support this would sure be a lonely and dark road we are traveling...I love all of you!


Comments

  1. BIg hugs!!! I can't even imagine seeing Cade having the seizure. :( I hate that there are so many things with this syndrome that we just cannot protect our kids from! Praying it was truly a one-time thing.

    Hope recovery continues in the right direction.

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  2. Hope recovery continues and the results of the surgery make it all worth while. Sounds like Cade is quite the fighter.

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  3. I hope Cade continues to recover.

    For the seizure, even if sodium are a little low, it can make a difference to some people.
    To some people, a low value won't make much a difference and for others, it makes a big difference.

    I am by no way a doctor, but my personal experience is that such a small difference can create huge problems to some people.
    After, you need to have a big picture over the time to see if this low value makes a difference or not for Cade (because what works for Cade may not work for someone else even with the same diagnosis).

    So, contrary to doctors, I would pay attention even to such a small detail.
    You are not a doctor, of course, but you are Cade's expert. You know Cade better than they know him.
    They are specialists of the disorder, you are the specialist of your son.
    Don't be afraid of questioning them about the subtle differences even if they dismiss you. It can save Cade's life.

    And thanks to having paid to differences who, normally, are not relevant generally speaking, I could save my life (we could catch a pericarditis before it was serious, even fatal, thanks to the subtle differences on average not relevant).

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