All's Well That Ends Well-- Our Crazy Day!

Thank you again, for your prayers, encouragement, and support. We felt that blessing, more than you know!

Jonathan's surgery went very very well-- exactly as it should (we knew it would, didn't we?). I realized that no matter how major or minor a medical procedure is, as a parent, you are going to worry the maximum capacity... I suppose it's just how validated the worry is. ;)

    

After checking in early that morning and waiting awhile, we talked with the nurses and doctors in the examination room.  They were very kind, considerate, attentive, and thorough in answering ALL of our questions and concerns.  We felt much more confident that they would take extra care with our little guy.  This is soon before the surgery.  Check out that right eye stuck by his nose!

    

The worst part was definitely letting Jonathan go alone with the nurse to the surgery area.  It was more that I knew he felt abandoned and would be alone and scared with strange things happening to him (the gas mask, etc.) than that we were concerned something bad would happen (though that was worrisome, too).  

After about an hour, the doctor happily greeted us in the waiting room explaining cheerfully that everything went perfectly.  Hurray!  Jonathan woke up pretty quick from the anesthesia, so we were able to go to him in recovery soon after the surgery.  Jonathan was very confused, exhausted, and overwhelmed, so he just cuddled with Daddy (he's a ridiculous daddy's boy).  He slept for a long time when we got home, but, thank goodness for Tylenol, he was back to his own happy, crazy self by that afternoon.  

The doctor said it will take another week or so for his eyes to totally heal, but they're much straighter now (yay!), and as they continue to heal, they will continue to straighten.  

What a wonderful day-and-age to live, with such remarkable medical miracles!! :) :) :) 

 We feel so grateful a procedure fairly brief, low-risk, and non-intrusive can save our son from a potential lifelong physical and emotional impairment.

What a handsome little fella!  This is a few days later.  Check out that NOT-stuck-by-his-nose right eye!  Amazing!!!

Well-- I suppose that was enough of an adventure for one day, but alas, the craziness continued...

Benjamin was still at a friend's house for the afternoon when he accidentally ate a Reese's Pieces candy.  Yeah, yikes (for those who don't know, Benjamin is very allergic to peanuts).  He's been peanut-free for about two years, so the initial reaction wasn't that bad.  My dear friend called me immediately and said he seemed fine, besides trying to gag and throw-up the "spicy" candy, so I had her give him some Benadryl and went right away to pick him up.  He had a rash on his face, and seemed very tired (he did wake up at 5:45am that morning), but not much worse for wear.  When we got home, I let him watch a show for quiet-time and continued to check on him.  After almost an hour or so, I realized that the "sleepiness" was NOT due from the extra-early morning.  I went to pick him up and he was extremely limp, lethargic, and drooling.  Last timehe ingested a bit of peanut-butter candy (two years ago), the symptoms were heaving and wheezing--obvious trouble breathing, but these symptoms were really weird to me, but I felt that they were very very BAD.  Gratefully Dustin had the WHOLE day off and was still home.  It didn't seem like Benjamin was struggling to breath, but rather just too tired keep trying.  Dustin rushed him to the ER and I stayed behind with Jonathan, still recovering from surgery that morning.  Dustin's phone didn't have reception in the hospital, and I think that 20 minutes waiting for him to call to let me know what was going on was the absolute scariest time in my life--- 100x worse than all the anticipation of Jonathan's surgery-- at least that was a controlled, fairly predictable situation.  

Dustin did finally call and said they emergency rushed Benjamin into treatment and immediately gave him an epi-shot and then a breathing treatment.  The medical staff took very good care of him (they even gave him a little video game, which he LOVES) and he was released a few hours later, with only a bruise on his hand from the IV and a prescription for a steroid to take for a few days-- and some very drained, relieved, and massively thankful parents.

As a matter of note, yes, we have epi-pens, but have never had to use them.  Apparently epinephrine is a pretty intense treatment and to be given under careful judgement.  I think if Benjamin was obviously struggling to breath, we wouldn't have hesitated, but, like I said, we didn't really recognize the symptoms he was having and weren't sure what was going on.  BUT now we know.  He was going into Anaphylactic shock and his throat was closing up.  And that means stab him with the epi and then rush to the hospital.  Sigh, live and learn.  This experience definitely serves as a profound reminder of the seriousness of Benjamin's allergy.  Granted it could be worse (and we're grateful it's not), but in a moment it could be fatal.  So we will be all the more vigilant

However, there is SO much to be grateful for!  Epinephrine, for one.  Without that, Benjamin would have died.  Also, a hospital nearby-- one with a pediatric ER unit who took such wonderful care of our little guy.  And, that it happened on a day Dustin was home and available.  I don't think I could have handled this alone--- maybe I could have, but, man, I am VERY thankful Dustin was there!! 

Most of all, a Loving Heavenly Father who is so watchful of our little family.  We are so often protected from so much pain and sorrow.  I hug my boys a little tighter, play and laugh with them a little more often, and pray a LOT harder, both in gratitude and supplication.  There are angels among us, I have no doubt, and I am grateful they watched over and helped save both my babies from irreparable harm or worse that fateful Tuesday.   

Obviously we don't have pictures from Benjamin's hospital experience, but we do have a nice collection of hospital bracelets!  Sure, it was a scary day, but all really IS well that end's well--- and I'm grateful for a day like that that helps me much much more appreciate the days that follow...