Shriners Experience

Blake was born with a special thumb...or thumbs rather.
After he was delivered and was being weighed, measured, and assessed...Rustin poked his head around hospital room curtain and said, "He's got an extra thumb on one hand!"

Wait?? Huh??!

That is where our journey began with our little guy who gave three thumbs up.

Jump ahead to now and you'll find Blake recovering from a right thumb reconstruction.
Here's our Shriners Experience.


Our morning started super early on Friday...we got to Shriners at 5:30am with a tired, but happy Blake.
In pre-op Blake was his normal shy-self. He kept himself (and us) busy by driving his cars and playing with daddy while I answered pre-op questions. In preparation for surgery...Blake got a hefty dose of versed, which kicked in slowly and was manifested by silly exaggerated giggles. And then it was time...to give my sweet baby boy to a stranger. Blake looked over the nurse's shoulder nervously smiling, waving, and saying, "bye byeee."

Ugh...I HATE that part!

Now, the waiting.

1. Cars the Movie, the gown he refused to wear, his three cars in a row, and his doggy with instructions to be casted too.
2. Thumbs! 3. Versed was kicking in. 4. Visitor badges

While Blake was in surgery, I got really emotional...worried about what was happening, who was with Blake, if they were doing things right, what if he bleeds, what if he gets an infection, and all the things he wouldn't be able to do with a giant cast on his arm. (i.e. rock on his moose, spin the wheels of his cars, ride his bike)

You would've thought Blake was going in for a major surgery the way I was carrying on.

Then, about an hour and a half after we said "bye, bye" Dr. McCarroll came to tell us everything went great. The extra nub was removed as well as it's extra bone, the joint was shaved down, a pin did not have to be used and the alignment of the thumb was now straight. YAY! He said they were waiting for Blake and his doggy's cast to dry and soon he'd be in recovery.

Phew!

Then, Dr. Scavone...the most amazing anesthesiologist...came to talk to us. He pulled us aside, away from the other parents, and told us Blake is one special boy and that he was so happy to be one of his doctor's. Awwwww! Then he said, Blake was receiving a breathing treatment to help calm his rough post-op breaths, and although he wasn't awake quite yet he would let me go back and help since I was a nurse. SWEET!

When I saw Blake, all the emotion I was feeling earlier rushed back...but this time it was relief. There he was...with this giant cast, sleeping so sweetly. I LOVE THIS BOY! As I stood as his bedside, Dr. Scavone again told me how happy he was to have met Blake, and got teary when talking about what a neat kid he was! Of course that made me turn into a blubbery mess...all I could say was, thank you thank you!! (I mean seriously...what do you say to a doctor who volunteers HIS time to take of kids who need help??!!!)

Blake was not too happy when he woke up from anesthesia...so we snuggled while we watched Nemo, he held his new McQueen car, and he chugged some apple juice. He got pretty frustrated when he couldn't use that right hand drink and hold his car. =[

Then we were moved down the third floor and into our room to spend the night for observation.
As Blake slept, we anxiously awaited for him to wake up so we could snuggle and play.

1. Private room! 2. Lunch from UC Davis across the street. 3. Wiggle worm. 4. Nurse had wrapped his cast to protect him from bonking his head. 
5. Clutching McQueen. 6. Daddy helped Blake fall asleep.

When Blake woke up...I'm not kidding...his first word "Keen!" (McQueen) He saw his Lightening McQueen juice box sitting on the table and wanted it! We laughed and laughed!

We quickly found out Blake was not happy about the cast...he kept pulling on it saying, "off, off!" Rustin showed him his doggy had a matching one and that it was okay. Blake was not impressed.
 It was so sad to see him get so worried about  his arm. =[
Eventually Blake moved on and thought his doggy was thirsty and need a drink of his McQueen juice!

LOVE THIS KID!
Can he be any cuter?!?!

We figured Blake had to be starving, so the kitchen brought him a grilled cheese sandwich that he chowed! He was so happy eating and pretending to share it with daddy. These next couple pics...Blake is making his airplane noise and hand motion...but he realized he couldn't do it with his right arm...so he switched the the left.

So...have I mentioned this hospital is freaking amazing??!
At one point they brought in a cute homemade pillowcase filled with toys and things to do for both Blake and Rustin & I!
And their therapy dog come visit...which Blake absolutely LOVED!
"Doggy! Doggy!"

That night was rough...Blake was up every four hours crying and needing pain medicine and asking for  Cars! I figured, what the heck and at 4am we turned on Cars and watched it until we both fell asleep together in my bed.

The next morning we anxiously waited for the doctor to round and dismiss us home.
So, guess what we did while we waited?

We watched Cars!
And played with the shopping carts and drove in the cars.

Then...we were on our way home!

Words cannot explain how grateful I am for this amazing hospital, doctors, and staff!
They took such good care of Blake.

Being at this hospital and seeing kids severely burned, with prosthetic arms & legs, a variety of other visible deformities made me really appreciate Blake's healthy little body. It made me realize again we have it good and we truly are blessed! Although hemophilia is and will be a challenge, it's comforting to know that Blake will live a relatively normal life thanks to modern medicine and good caregivers.

Thanks Shriners for all you do!!