Surgery Day

10:35 p.m.
Sorry to be so absent readers, but I had internet connection problems from my last update until now - ARGH!  How frustrating!  Anyway Shelby has been doing fantastic.  What a great patient!  She is feeling pretty rough, but not complaining of any pain - that's what a good "background" dose of Dilaudid (pain med) will do for you plus a PCA pump.  She's been having some low grade temps and they've been putting ice packs on her to keep her cool.  She is really having trouble now staying asleep, though.  She dozes off only to wake a few short minutes later.  Thank you everyone for your prayers and well-wishes.  We truly felt them today.

I've posted several post-op pics.  Please be warned if you are squeamish at all, that the very last picture in this album is of her incision.

Surgery 2

3:07 p.m.
SHE'S OUT.  SHE DID GREAT!!!  SHE'S EXTUBATED!  We've spoken with the surgeon and other than her splenic vein showing some thickening (possibly an old clot) that made sewing it up a little tougher than usual, things went great!  We are (im)patiently waiting to go to the PICU to see her.  

2:10 p.m.
We are anticipating hearing the final phone call from the OR any minute now.  So far she has remained stable and has not needed any blood products.  :-)  I cannot wait to talk to the surgeon and then finally see my little girl, but that will still be a while.  She will go directly from the OR to the PICU.

12:02 p.m.
Update from the OR about 20 min. ago.  All is going well.  Should hear again in another 2 hours.

Aunt Lori was super brave and drove in!  She's here to join me, Scott, Mom & Dad while we worry/wait.

10:00 a.m.
First update from OR.  Actual surgery started about 9:40.  All lines were placed - an IV in each hand, an arterial line in her right hand and a central line in her neck.....................

9:18 a.m.
About 25 minutes ago I left the OR.  As the gas started to take effect, she was saying "I don't want my distal splenorenal shunt" over and over again as tears fell from her eyes.  She was so brave.  She did not try to pull off the mask.  She is amazing.  That is courage.  She cracked everyone up all morning - HER - the one who should need comfort was giving comfort to US.  AMAZING.  When Dr. Superina (the surgeon) came in she looked at him in his coat with his bag and said "Um, shouldn't you go get ready or something?"  What a stitch!  She told the nurse in the OR that her hands were cold so Shelby didn't want her touching her until she was asleep!

Please pray for my baby.  Right now they are placing all her lines - 2 IV's, 1 arterial line, 1 central line, a bladder catheter and she'll be intubated.  The OR nurse will call us every hour or so and hopefully we'll hear in the next hour that the actual surgery has started.

Surgery