Vivi, the Champion

We have just embarked upon the most action packed, adventure filled week of our puny lives. Since it's my nature to complicate matters, I've decided to pick up blogging again while we are in the midst of a storm. Here is the synapsis: surgery, pack, move, stay with friends while our new home is being finished and finally move into the new house.

Fate thought it would be funny to pack all this into 10 days. hahahahahaha.

Vivi had her surgery yesterday. Of course that couldn't be simple, either. She chowed for the last time at 5 a.m. in preparation for her 12:30 p.m. surgery. Wouldn't have anything to do with the clear liquids offered her. At 12:30, we were told we were bumped because our surgeon was called in to assist on another case. Still no grub for the baby; we were given another 2 hours til her turn. She gave up complaining about it. 2:30 comes and goes... a trauma victim came in and our surgeon was called in to assist on that, too. Another 2 hours til her turn. We are 'reassured' that we will get in today, that our surgeon rarely sleeps more than 4 hours a night he is such a workaholic. That fact was not especially reassuring, but by this point the magnitude of the other children's suffering really made me feel more comfortable with the comparatively simple procedure we were there for.

At 5 p.m., the anesthesiologist carried her into the O.R. Jesse and I headed to the cafe, where I responded as any sane person would, and crammed every carb on the buffet line down my constricted throat. Actually, Jesse said it wasn't really that much, but when your stomach has a bakers dozen worth of knots, it's as good as a gastric bypass home job. Good thing I had Jesse handy to say funny things, like "Wouldn't it be funny if we saw Dr. George sitting out here eating a doughnut?"

hahahahahahaha

At 6 p.m., the surgeon came out to reassure us that our girl was doing well, and we would get to see her soon. As he was explaining what he had done, he pulled out a small black bag and said, "Well, let me just show you what I am talking about..."

I swear, for a second I thought he was going to show us something he had fished out of my daughter's brain.

Fortunately, it was just some photos he took with his endoscope. Whew!

In the end, all went well. Vivi is presently napping in her crib here at the pimped out new Children's Hospital. We spent the day cruising up and down the halls in a red wagon, we dipped our heels in the fountain, and dined with Dad on some Astroturf in the Healing Courtyard. I am posting some photos post surgery, believe it or not. It seems that a surgeon who can charge 19,000+ an hour of surgical time can perform miracles on the inside AND outside of your body.

Maybe tomorrow we will join Jesse in the packing extravaganza. Today, we are just going to cuddle and be glad. Just glad.