January 8, 2019 "Surgery #12- Bilateral Femoral Osteotomies with Derotation, Left Pelvic Acetabular Osteotomy, Bilateral Arthrograms and Casting #23"

Tuesday, January 8, 2019 We arrived at UNC Children's Hospital at 6:00 am where we met Nanny, Papa, Granny, Alex, and Bob Collins (orthodist). Rayden seemed happy to see everyone but I could tell he was wondering why they were there. We went straight up to the 2nd floor where we were greeted by a nurse saying "Welcome Back!" (I don't know what to think about the hospital staff recognizing us...) They took us straight back into the Pre-Op, no waiting this time. Of course, we went through the same procedures of weighing, changing clothes, taking vitals, signing papers, decorating a gas mask, talking to anesthesiologists and docs. Bob joined in trying to keep Rayden's mind off of what was happening. Dr. Vergun went over what was going to happen again with us. After they got him to sleep she would cut off the casts, Bob would mold him for AFO's, Dr. Vergun would wrap his feet and do the hip Arthrograms (injected die to get x-ray images). After viewing the images she would begin working on the hips, cutting the femurs, putting the balls into the sockets, grafting bone to reshape the socket, turning the leg to a straight position, making sure the legs are the same length, screwing in the plates to hold it in place, taking new x-ray images, and finally recasting the feet. Of course this had to be done on BOTH legs so she expected it to take about 5 hours. 

They gave him the versed to make him loopy around 7:15 and took him to surgery at 7:40. Bob gowned up and went with him. Apparently this anesthesiologist didn't have as much luck as the last one. She had to stick him five times for 1 arterial vein and two IV's. (At least he was asleep during all of this.) Dr. Vergun cut off casts #22. She and Bob examined his feet and said they are healing wonderfully and the skin looked great. Bob molded Rayden for AFO's and came out of the OR about 8:30. The long wait was excruciating for us. We ate breakfast in the cafe and went back to the second floor to wait. We sat in the window seats, walked the halls, played solitaire, walked some more, etc. At 10:30 I had not heard from the OR so I asked the hall nurse to call back there and give me an update. She said they had finished one leg. I thought this was wrong but at least it wasn't a bad update. By 12:30 I went to ask for another update. This time the nurse said Dr. Vergun was finished with the left leg and was starting the right. I was confused but again, at least it wasn't a bad update. Around 1:30 (6 hours in) my worry took over and I felt like I was going to pass out. Michael went with me to the bathroom so I wouldn't pass out in there with the door locked. Instead of passing out, I started throwing up! I kept telling myself I had to get it together, that Rayden needed me. I began to pray for God to ease my fear and worry. We stayed in the bathroom for about 30 minutes. 

At 2:00 (6 1/2 hours in) we opened the door, Michael looked down the hall and saw Dr. Vergun looking for us. She said the surgery went well but was very tough. She said his hips were a mess so it took her longer to fix. She had to take bone from his pelvis to fix the left socket. He lost too much blood and had to have a tranfusion. She also said his femoral anteversion, the inward rotation of the femur bone in the upper leg, was suppose to be between 10-15% but his was 60%!! This is what was causing his knees and feet to turn inward. She said all of this just validated that he REALLY needed this surgery and she would explain more tomorrow when she shows us the x-ray images.  

At 2:40, 7 hours later, I was able to see Rayden in the PACU. He had morphine and fentanyl in the OR so he was really out of it. He was in and out but every time he woke up he was calling for Momma. I am so thankful God helped me through my anxiety and that I was able to be there for him. He had two IV's and an arterial line. He had two short leg, carolina blue casts, and a foam purple pillow velcroed to his legs to keep them separated. He had three incisions-one on the outside of both legs and one in the left groan. The nurse wanted him to drink some juice but he never would. At 3:20 Rayden was transported to room 7Ch10.  I wanted him to have his pillow that Barbara Pollard made for him so I lifted his head just a little to place it and he screamed out in pain. This broke my heart! He was in so much pain! He couldn't even lift his head, he wouldn't move his arms!! How bad is this going to be?!!?? 

By 5:00 he was asking to watch his ipad even though he was in and out. The nurse stated that they were going to have to move him every four hours throughout the night to prevent bed soars and blood clots. I thought I was going to die. He just had both legs CUT OFF and was in so much pain and you want to move him?!!?? She gave him some Tylenol and Oxycodone and came to move him around 6:00. He could not tolerate even lifting one hip to place a pillow underneath. That's when I knew this was going to be really bad on my Warrior. 

By 6:30 when Carol and Ray Fisher and Uncle Gerome Heath arrived he was really out of it but woke up just long enough to say "Hello" and "I love you." By 8:00 the nurses wanted to change his diaper. OMG!!!! It took 4 people (3 nurses and me), everybody else left the room. They began to roll him onto his side and he screamed out in agony. I mean PURE AGONY!!! It about killed me. I have never heard him scream like that before. After it was all over and Rayden was back asleep I turned my head to cry. Rayden could not see me get upset, I had to be his rock, but this was killing me! The only thing we got him to eat was some "red" icecream (strawberry). He ate it trying to race his brother. Even though it took him a very long time to eat that small cup, he still won, haha! By 9:00 he was out for the night.