Malrotation surgery day

We got the call yesterday evening that Ellie's malrotation corrective surgery would be scheduled for today.  It was kind of a relief to know that it was finally going to happen.  Mike was able to take the day off of work and skip going to court for a patient to be there with Ellie and me.

Things at the hospital are becoming too familiar and routine for us.  Here we go again with check in at same day surgery, vitals and pre-op, meeting with the surgeon and anesthesiologist and then handing our precious little girl over so they could take her to the operating room.  Ellie put her head on my shoulder and snuggled for a few seconds before the anesthsiologist took her away.  We didn't hear any crying as we turned our backs and walked in separate directions.  I guess it was a different case when they got her to the room.  It was still difficult because we never know what we are in for or how Ellie will do with the recovery process, especially knowing what she went through after her heart surgery.

Mike and I waited in the waiting room.  She was scheduled to be in the OR for 3 hours but I think it was less than 2 hours when we saw Dr. Downey come around the corner to report to us.  Everything went well and actually, better than expected.  The G-tube was placed, they manipulated her bowels into the correct area, and inverted her appendix into her colon so that it would die on it's own.  Interesting.  At first we were told that Ellie would have to go to the PICU for at least a day because she has had such a complex history but they decided that she was doing well enough to recover on the regular floor.  We were told to expect her to be a little fussy and uncomfortable for a few days until the incision site heals a bit but with a little tylenol and morphine Ellie has been handling things pretty well. 

We will wait a few days until her gut "wakes up" and she can start digesting things again.  Then it is just a matter of her tolerating her feedings.  The G-tube is different and more complicated than the NG tube.  I'm not sure I like it much at this point but at least it will get her fed and I'm sure we will see more positive things about it once we get used to it.  We were told that Ellie would be here for about a week.  Fingers are crossed that it won't be any longer.