Morning of Surgery (before surgery)

5:00 Amy and Andy woke up after a some what restless night. 

6:00  We arrived at hospital, parked and checked in.

Sign on Anderson's hospital bed

6:30 We were led back to small waiting room. A small single bed and some chairs. Anderson's vitals were taken and we were asked some pre surgery questions.

Last time Anderson's hand will look this way

My brave little super hero

Getting ready

They had us give Anderson a bath with special wipes to help prevent infection during and after surgery. Then we dressed him in a little green hospital gown.

Special wipes and hospital gown

He was so cute sitting on the hospital bed in that gown!

Picking out a cast color. I helped him pick out "gween"

Everything sounding good in there?

Then we had to wait. It is hard to keep our 2 year old little guy still for a few minutes, let alone 30.
Thankfully, The hospital had some fun toys that Anderson could play with while we waited.

There was a little shape box that would not open.
We tried and tried and joked that there must be a code or something.
 Later the nurse quick popped it open it after turning the clock to 12.
We got a good laugh over that! 

 We also got a little basket of cars and a little toy wrench. 

He would carefully use the wrench on the cars and say “I fix the cars!”

During this time we met with all the different Dr.s  and some of the nurses that would be helping out in his surgery. They told us about different aspects that they would be involved in. Anesthesia,  Meds, etc... All this serious talk made me realize what was going to happen and I was questioning if I wanted to be the parent that got to walk anderson to the operating room. I was not sure if I could stay strong for him if he resisted the anesthesia mask.

7:00 A lady who helps kids understand surgery came to talk with Anderson. She brought "surgery bear" to show Anderson how the anesthesia mask would work and let him practice giving it to the bear and to himself. Anderson was so cute with the  mask and surgery bear putting strawberries chap stick in the mask to make the gas smell better. He also held the mask up to his face and tried breathing in it.

Practicing with the mask.

We all cheered him on and that made him like it more. I decided when I saw him do so great practicing that  I could bring anderson back to the surgery and that I could handle it.

Anderson and "Meme", my mom.

7:19 My mom called to tell us she was there. She got to come back and see Anderson for a while. That was an unexpected surprise! I did not know if they would let her back to our room. I was glad they did.
7:20 Dr. Lim came in and marked Anderson's hand. He also made sure that everything was set, and talked to us a little bit about the surgery. He is such a great Dr.! I always feel he has time for me and my questions.  He also talks to me at my level. Not above my head or making me feel dumb. I am very grateful God led us to just the right Dr. for our family.

7:35 I had to get dressed in scrubs and a net hat and mask to not to bring germs into the room.

7:45 The nurse came and got Anderson and me to take us to the operating room. It was a quick good bye and I was almost not prepared for it to happen. But I was glad, kind of like ripping a band aide off you don't want to say goodbye slowly, to much time to think. Anderson gave kisses and got on the bed and was wheeled away. I got to walk next to him down the hall way.

Daddy gives Anderson a goodbye hug and kiss right before surgery.

 He loved his "car bed". He looked so cute and little sitting in the middle of the bed in his little hospital gown.

Looking good! Did I discover a new style for myself? 

On the walk down the hallway to the OR

We walked past the nurse station and they all thought he was so cute riding down the hallway. What a brave boy!