Goodbye Stye!!

My sweet baby had a super, minor surgery Monday. It was so weird to be on the other side. Taking her and walking the steps with my own child that I walk patients and parents through everyday was so weird and surreal. I could not be more proud of my sweet Isabella. She was so brave. I wasn't sure how she was going to do not being able to eat, changing into a hospital gown, getting her vital signs taken...she soared through everything! She did better than mommy and daddy. She finally got to get her stye (actually hers was what is called a chalazion) removed. But she calls it her stye;) Dr. G did a small incision inside her eyelid to remove her chalazion and cauterized the old top stye that started this whole thing.

Arriving the morning of surgery....

Last pics of this stubborn chalazion!



See you NEVER again!!

She was precious!

She thought this gown was pretty cute!

Playing doctor with her new Minnie from the Child life specialist. The Child life specialist was so great...brought her a new Minnie and doctor kit and explained everything to her. Minnie got the full check up, then needed a prize of course!


Watching her movie in preop...waiting for the Versed to kick in. I debated Versed before because it makes kids wake up so cranky, but I decided that I'd rather that than her go back to the OR without mommy and daddy and I definitely didn't want her to remember anything from back there even as non traumatic as they make it. They didn't put her IV in until after she was asleep. This is when I am SO thankful for wonderful pediatric places who do things like that to make it less traumatic! 

She thought her doctor putting his initials on her forehead was pretty silly

And like expected the first hour was super rough and emotional for mommy as the anesthesia wore out of her system. She woke up pretty confused, irritated, and emotional. 

My sweet little rule follower did so great. She left this patch on for 24 hours just like she was asked, let me ice it, put warm wash cloths on it and even the yucky eye ointment twice a day with no fuss!

Starving!



Showing me her IV....I prepped her for days about not getting to eat the morning of, talked about the patch on her eye but dang it, forgot to prep her for having an IV when she woke up!! She did well but it was a source of confusion for sure.

Passed out headed home

She wasn't down long...rest only lasted 2 hours;) Kids are SO resilient


Sassy already

You should see the other guy

I'm not a huge expert...though I do take care of surgical patients all day, every day (kids at that) and have now experienced it myself to some degree. My husband and I stated multiple times we were thankful for such a minor thing to go through. But any surgery or medical problem with your kiddos is tough. 

Here's a few of my best/quick advice for preparing your kiddo for surgery:

1. Play doctor: Isabella was familiar with all the medical items so she wasn't scared when they put her arm band on or her blood pressure cuff. She loves to play doctor but if you can familiarize them with these items it helps: blood pressure cuff, thermometer, name bracelet, pulse ox (band aid with light that goes over their finger), little things like that. If you have a preop appointment and the hospital has a child life department they often have these bags prepared for kids to play with.

2. Talk about not getting to eat or drink. We talked about this for days. The first thing Isabella does when she wakes up is ask for milk so I prepared her for several days that on this particular day mommy was going to wake her up and let her have a little juice but she wasn't going to be able to eat until after they fixed her eye. PS she really wanted her eye fixed so she did not complain at all. She did ask to hold her snack bag but never asked to eat any of it. (Disclaimer: she is my rule follower so this may have been easier because of this)

3. Bring familiar items with you to the hospital. Their favorite stuffed animal and blankie. Kid friendly places allow them to take them back with them to the operating room. Isabella chose to take her lovie and her new Minnie back with her:)

4. Do your research. I luckily work in the field of medicine and at the hospital where she had her procedure so knew everyone, which helped me tons. I knew her doctor, anesthesiologist, nurse, etc. I know this isn't the norm but do your research and find the hospital and doctors that make you feel the most comfortable. Be your own child's advocate.

5. Pick a Pediatric friendly hospital if at all possible. This is huge. Our hospital and staff are so great for this. We have child life specialists that help prepare the kids for each step of the way. She even brought her in her own surgical mask she could take home. And the nurses, I cannot say enough about how wonderful each of them were.

6. Be prepared for the recovery period. It can be rough depending on your kid. I always prepare parents that the first 4-5 hours can be tough as all the anesthesia wears out of their system and they get comfortabe and adjust to the environment. Ours only lasted about an hour but that hour was tough. Thankfully I knew it was normal and would pass, it helps to understand that it is normal and passes. Isabella was very weepy and had a few anger outburst and then suddenly you looked in her eyes and it was over. 

7. Practice taking medicine. This is huge if your kid isn't great at it. Play doctor and put juice in a medicine cup or syringe and practice taking it. This will make that part of it less stressful. My kiddos love medicine and Isabella loves to give it to herself so this was so helpful (Oh and she is Miss Independent;))

8. If you are spending the night bring good distractions...new movie, iPad (what did families do before iPads?!), new toys, etc. 

9. Try to relax. I know this is easier said than done sometimes but kids feel our anxiety too. If we can be calm and relaxed it helps them.

10. Soothing music or singing helps calm an anxious child. I sang Isabella our usual night time songs and this seemed to be what relaxed her the most!
Post op day #1 evening....Healing so well:) Praying for NO more styes....

We are going to do Flax seed everyday like recommended so we can never see a stye again! Praying it works!


3 comments

  1. Has the flax seed worked well at keeping them away? What are you giving her if you don’t mind me asking. :) My 2 year old had a chalazion that is not going away and I’m thinking surgery will be the next step. How long did she have it before you were given surgery?

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