An update from Colby's hospital room

(Poor Colby. He's one unhappy camper tonight)


(My sleeping sweetie)

Colby's surgery seems to have gone well. He was scheduled to go into the O.R. at 1pm, but as with many surgeries, he didn't get in there until close to 3pm. He hadn't eaten any formula since 5 in the morning, so at times he was a bit fussy. But all in all he was such a good little boy and didn't fuss to much at all. Even the nurses commented at how well he was doing.

After the surgery the doctor came for us again in the waiting room and updated us. Everything seemed to have gone well. Nothing unexpected. He has a small incision on his head and another on his stomach. They threaded a tube from his head, just under the skin, all the way down to his belly where the fluid will drain out and be absorbed by his body. The shunt itself doesn't seem too noticeable. Colby doesn't have much hair on his head so it's probably much more noticeable now than it will be over the years. They put extra tubing in his belly so that over the years as Colby grows, there will be enough slack to keep the end down in his belly.

The doctor said that the biggest risk right now is infection and this will continue for the next 3 months. Should he get an infection we'll need to come back to the hospital. We'll keep our fingers crossed......

Poor Colby has been very fussy since his surgery. Nothing seemed to quell him. I think it's partly the anesthesia wearing off and leaving him feeling yucky and also the fact that he had two incisions plus a tube thread from his head all the way into his belly. That just can't be comfortable.

He's finally sleeping for the first time now. We're having quite a winter storm so Tracey just left about 1/2 an hour ago. She needed a break. She's got the strong motherly instinct that whenever Colby fusses, she's at his side trying to make him feel better. It would have worn her down being here tonight as I think he's going to be fussy but there's not much that will make him feel better. Just time.

And now he's got yet another bald spot on his head. He's got one on the back and on at least on of the sides of his head from when he lays down. He has another from his surgery a couple weeks ago and now this.

We were talking while Colby was in the OR that because of all we've been through, we don't think much of one of us going home while the other stays at the hospital. You HAVE to do that after months of ups and downs. It's just not practical for both people to be up all night. And this way she'll be rested so tomorrow I can get some sleep.

If all goes well, it's planned that Colby will come home tomorrow. I think it's too early to get any idea how he's doing. The nurses and doctors have pretty much just come in to take his vitals and give him some meds. Probably throughout the night as he comes to more they'll be able to better judge his condition.

So that's the scoop for now. I've got a really comfortable (not really) couch thing in his room that I'm going to lay down on. He'll probably be fussing through the night plus they need to come in and take his vitals every 4 hours. So I doubt I'll get much rest. But I can look forward to a good rest at home tomorrow. : )