April 22, 2002

All through out the day,  Christine was telling everyone - even random people in line at the mall - that she was going to have a day surgery on her lip.   She seems ready and her only apprehension is not being able to suck her thumb afterwards.

She was also very excited when the ENT removed her last remaining tube that was sitting in her ear canal at her pre-op appointments.   

The night before Christine's Lip Revision surgery,  we took a few pictures, so we could remember her smile and document the progression of her revision.   The plan is to thin out the lip and improve upon the red notch at the base of her existing scar.

April 23, 2002

Being the first procedure for the day,  we had to arrive at the hospital by 6 AM.   This meant leaving our house around 5:20 to ensure we made it with enough time.   No one was really excited about getting up that early.   The morning birds were very beautiful,  but it was still much to early for us!

Once at the hospital,  we checked in and awaited our turn to fill out the paper work for the day.  Once admitted,  we waited for the anesthesiologist nurse to give her a once over and present her with her ID bracelet and hospital clothes.   Even her stuff dog and Gabbie (her blanket) received a name tag.

Sometime after 7:30,  they took us to the induction room where Christine picked the flavor of her mask  (she choice Lemon) and she had "silly juice".   It didn't take long for her to become very relaxed.   It's hard to play the "Bubble" game on the Pocket PC when you are out of it.  :)    Shortly before 7:45,  she went to sleep and was wheeled into the OR.

We were paged sometime after 10 AM to meet Christine in the phase II recovery room.   Sometime between 10:15-10:30,  she was delivered to us.  She was very sleepy,  but seemed great.  

It took her another half an hour or so before she started to become more coherent.   She didn't remember talking to the surgeon when he stopped by afterwards.  Once she started eating Popsicles,  we knew she was on her way to recovery.   She had one of each flavor while watching Dora the Explorer.

We were released around Noon and made a few stops on the way out of the hospital - one of which was the gift shop!  (No big surprise there!)  She picked a little cat and dog to be her new friends.

One the way home,  we stopped at Dick's.  She requested fries and munched away all the way home.  

After we hung out at home for a little while,  we ventured out to the grocery store to purchase Pushups and other assorted foods that sounded good to her.   When we got home,  she polished 3 pushups and was ready to go outside and play!   We water flowers and played with Izzy - our dog.   She was running around as if nothing had happened earlier in the day.   We were all very impressed.   Other than it being uncomfortable to drink through a straw,  she seems to be very comfortable.  She didn't need any pain medication other than was given her post-op.

The one thing that I hadn't given much thought to was needing to explain to people her stitches and new scar.  It's something we really haven't had to do since the initial repair.  

April 24, 2002

Since we weren't sure how Christine  would feel later in the day,  Christine stayed home from school today.   She joined Jacquie's class on a field trip to a play,  went out to lunch with Mom and Dad and then headed to the barn to visit our pony.   She was disappointed to miss her usual horseback riding lesson,  but seemed to understand.   She had a good time grooming and grazing Spirit and hanging out a the barn.

Tomorrow,  we are planning on sending her back to school.

April 25, 2002

Christine went back to school today.  She had a really good time seeing all of her friends.   With Spring Break being the week before surgery,  she hadn't seen them in over a 1.5 weeks.  She didn't have any problems transitioning back to school.   I was more worried than she was.

After school,  we played t-ball in the yard and tossed the ball around for the dog.   She is happy as can be and is healing very well.   Straws are still hard and the stitches are starting to itch,  but otherwise she is doing fantastic.   It just blows me away with how fast kids can recover.  As you can tell from the pictures,  she is a very happy kid!

Christine is continues to do great.   She was upset about not being able to go swimming,  but otherwise very happy.   Slowing her down has been the hardest part of the healing process.   

April 29, 2002

Here are a couple of pictures we took at school.  She has had very little difficulties in the classroom.   The other kids have been wonderful.   She was a little self conscious at first, but once we talked to her class about going to the hospital and why she had the surgery,  she has been her usual confident self. 

May 2, 2002

This photo was taken at the barn on Thursday.   Christine went back to riding on Wednesday and was out at the barn today helping groom Spirit.   After grooming him,  we went for a ride around the property.  

Many of her stitches have fallen out and the swelling has gone down considerably.   Drinking with a straw is no longer a problem.

May 11, 2002

Things are looking great.   The swelling continues to go down and all the stitches have fallen out.  This is a picture from her first horse show today.   She had a great time.