Z's surgery, and our sensory tools

Wow, I really didn't mean to let 5 days pass without blogging.  This week just really got away from me.  My whole week was focused towards Thursday, Z's surgery day.  I had to plan and get our other 4 together to go stay with their grandparents, and I was really worrying myself over them being gone, getting our schoolwork done, and how Z would be the day of his surgery. 

When he had his surgery for tubes, I was not prepared for how unregulated he would be waiting at the hospital.  He was a wild child waiting for 3 hours in that room.  My family came and took turns coming in the room with us, and that made the time go by a little faster, but he was only calm when my dad was in there and made him sit in his lap.  When we had our doc appointment last week, he was the same way, and my nerves were just frazzled when I got home on both of those days.  Add that history to the fact that we had to stay overnight at the hospital, and I was worried that if would come out of it unharmed and sane.  haha 

So, I tried my best to really prepare myself for this surgery day and hospital stay, and wow, what the difference it made!   First, I had Daddy C come along.  You know kids are always better behaved for their dad.  I really think Daddy thought I was being dramatic when I described his behavior in the past.  My friend, that was his nurse last time and this time came by to check on us, and commented on the difference in his behavior, and I got excited and said, "see, I told you he was wild last time!''  haha  We were lucky that they didn't have a room for us right at first, so they had us wait in a small play room.  The fact that there was stuff to do, and it was a small room so that he wouldn't get overwhelmed was a blessing.  He got to be his charming self.  He was knocking on the window waving at all the nurses.  He made friends with an older boy, and he helped entertain him by pushing him around in the cozy car.  When they did put us in a room...he begin his full energy exploring of the room, aka climbing on the bed, messing with the sink, wanting hand sanitizer non-stop...this is when I was SO thankful that Daddy C was there b/c he got him calmed down, and he had the suggestion that we turn out the light.  That really made a difference.  I had brought his heavy afghan (he prefers this over his weighted blanket, he wads it up in his lap).  This was a lifesaver b/c he held on to that blanket all night long.  I brought his sensory brush, and did his brushing, had silly putty (he loves to play with it, and it is very calming) and some other toys that he could play with.  I also brought 2 new musical toys that he loves, but I noticed that he was irritated with me everytime I pulled them out.  I think that he couldn't handle that noise/flashing lights with his little body being so out of balance.  

I also brought his monkey.  This is one of the leashes you can buy but I have the leash part off, and have beans in a zipper pouch, and this serves as a weighted thing for him.  B/c it wraps around and fastens so securely, he also likes this, as he is calmed when he has secure straps on him.  (You can literally see the energy melting off him when you buckle him in a carseat).

After he played calmly for awhile, we gave him his afghan, and he rocked himself a bit (that is his way of self-soothing), and then he wanted me to hold him, and he fell asleep in my lap.  I just can't believe that we were able to calm him in this kind of environment enough for him to fall asleep...that is just amazing!  haha  Also, last time, they gave him a shot that was suppose to calm him before surgery, but it instead made him very agitated.  He was trying to get away from me, and slapping me, it was aweful.  I complained about it, but everyone just told me that yes, sometimes kids have a different reaction.  This time, they actually asked me if I wanted the drug, and I told them no, and they all agreed that was a good decision after I told them his reaction. 

Our doctor came in right before the surgery, and he asked me if he could pray us.  He placed his hand on Z's back and prayed for him, (the doc while in surgery) Z, and for us, the parents.  It was so sweet and touching.  Everything went well with surgery, my friend got to be his recovery nurse again, and Z also did great staying the night at the hospital.  Wow, I tell you, for a surgery and a hospital stay, I couldn't have all gone better.  All that worrying and stressing for nothing.  Or maybe it was for something, b/c it caused me to use my thinking cap, and make a sensory plan that worked great.  That, and some divine intervention :)