Just getting through the day...

What does a Mom do on the day before her child's surgery? The most minor surgery her child has had in his 22 months of life, but still a surgery with it's own unique set of risks and possible complications. This Mom cleans the room at Ronald McDonald House, does laundry so every one of Jake's beloved blankies are clean and ready to be snuggled, washes 3 days worth of med and NG syringes, 

prays, worries, takes a hundred pictures of his beautiful face, has a bad stomach, applies Stress Away oil, can't sit still, wonders what life will be like without the NG, fidgets, prays, worries...

Jake's surgical G Tube procedure is tomorrow at 10:30 Toronto time, so 12:00 in Newfoundland. I'm dreading this procedure – Jake is older now, he has his own loves, fears, anxieties and I can't explain what is about to happen to him. I can't explain the pain he will feel when he wakes up, and I can't take away his worry when he opens his eyes and Mom is not by his bedside.

Being me, I have to Google and read and understand everything I possibly can. Here is a brief description of the procedure Jake will have tomorrow. His G Tube is being done laparoscopically through his belly button instead of the usual PEG procedure – because of the proximity of his pacemaker to his stomach. There is a possibility that the surgeon will need to use a Open procedure where a larger incision is made, if the laparascopic method fails or is too complicated. I'm praying that is not necessary, but we won't know until the surgeon is finished.

Laparascopic Technique

The laparascopic technique is done by making several small incisions in the abdomen and inserting a tiny telescope that helps surgeons see the stomach and surrounding organs.

In the laparascopic technique, an incision is made in the umbilicus, or belly button, and a blunt-tipped needle is passed into the abdominal cavity. Then carbon dioxide gas is used to expand the abdominal area during the procedure so the surgeon can have a clear view of the organs.

Next, a wire is threaded through the needle and the G-tube is guided along the wire into the stomach with the help of small instruments inserted through other small incisions. Stitches and pressure from a tiny balloon are used to keep the stomach in place against the abdominal wall. (source: http://kidshealth.org/parent/emmi_kids/gastrostomy.html?tracking=P_RelatedArticle)

Please keep Jake in your prayers tomorrow.  Remember myself and Jon as well, as we physically cringe at the thought of the scalpel slicing into Jake tomorrow, and neither of us feels prepared for this even though it has been a very long time in coming.  My hope and trust is in the Lord.  Always.  He has Jake in the palm of His mighty hand every moment of every day.

Jake is enjoying his time at the House, although he gets very bored when I keep him cooped up in our room as much as possible in fear of germs.  Here's a couple of shots of him around RMH.  Little doll.  And the next picture I post on here maybe Jake will have no tape on his face!