Tough and Wonderful Day

This morning we had to take our son to a surgery center for tubes to be inserted in his ears. He started the day by hugging and hanging out with the receptionist. Then he moved on to hugging the anesthesiologist, surgeon, most of the nurses, and several of the other children waiting to also have procedures.

Everyone was incredibly kind and skilled. The surgery was incredibly quick, very successful, and even so, it was difficult. The waiting out in the lobby was hard. But seeing him still sedated in the recovery room was so heart wrenching. We both hated seeing our little guy in that condition. (I am SO grateful to have a husband with a job that allowed him to be at our sides.) Fortunately, he soon awoke.

When Jackson woke up, he was not too happy. They warned us this was very common. But once we put a sippy cup of milk in his mouth, he quickly became his happy, fantastic self. After he pounded the milk, they gave him another cup full of apple juice and a box of animal crackers. By then he was quite content. The nurse told us that protocol dictated that patients subjected to sedation had to be wheeled out. She asked if we thought he would ride in the wheelchair by himself or in one of our laps. No lap, he wanted to ride by himself! So with a teddy bear on either side, he ecstatically rode out pushed by the nurse into the pouring rain and to our car.

The rest of the day, he was his absolutely delightful self. He ate and napped normally. Fast forward a few hours to a little before 7 that night. He runs up to his daddy unbeckoned or coerced, puckers up, and gives the first kiss of his life! It was so precious and sweet (though his dad said it was a bit on the slimy side!)

What a day! We know beyond the shadow of a doubt that the surgery was in his best interest and will do wonders for him, long term. We know is a happy-go-lucky boy who loves to hug and snuggle us (and random strangers.) But that kiss just made my heart soar! It makes me feel that he knows us, loves us, and is grateful to us for the care, attention, and affection we bestow on him.