The Harrer Happenings: Calvin had surgery...again

Last Friday (February 12, 2016) Calvin underwent his second surgery. This was a bit more complicated than when his tubes went in, but it was still outpatient surgery. Calvin's communicating hydrocele was repaired (go ahead and google it, I'm not going to explain it here).

Calvin and I headed to the Children's Hospital in Los Angeles and arrived at 6:15am. Nick met us there after his show. Apparently there was a scheduling mishap and so we ended up with a long wait time as Calvin wasn't called for pre-op until after 10:30am. Fortunately there was a playroom and toys for Calvin. And he was pretty good about not asking for food or drink, given that he couldn't have anything...

Once we got called for pre-op he started to get unhappy. As soon as he saw the hospital jammies he got upset and started to cry. But he quickly got over it once some volunteers arrived with Valentines and balloons for the kids.

He received versid before he went into surgery and seeing him under the influence of "happy juice" was one of the worst things that day. He was a danger to himself as he tried to climb the walls and wanted to launch himself off the bed.

I went with him into the operating room (just as I did with the tubes). I stayed until he was asleep with the gas and i took his pacifier (which he now calls "Blue") and Hobbes. I joined Nick in the waiting room. For almost exactly an hour we waited until we got called into recovery.

Given that his surgery ended during his normal nap time we knew the little dude was going to take a while to come out from the anesthesia. The doctor came and visited us and said everything went smoothly and the surgery was as good as could be expected.

He has a small incision in his groin. But the surgery didn't seem to slow him down. That evening Calvin enjoyed a feast of normal food and rested on the couch with me and Grandma Pam. On Saturday he woke up and acted almost as normal as he was before surgery, although we had been warned that he would be in pain and sluggish and even were given a prescription pain medicine. Calvin only needed Tylenol for a day and a half and he was back to running, jumping, throwing ball, and irritating his sister. He went back to daycare on Wednesday with the only restriction that he can't use ride-on toys or things that he would straddle (see-saw for example).

Calvin is such a tough kid and I can't believe how fast he bounced back from surgery. Even the day of he was such a trooper and amazing. Hopefully he won't need another surgery for a long-long time.