Blake's Surgery Update Part One..Spina Bifida and an Ace Malone

Blake is doing great.

The nurses at Shriner's are amazing. All great with kids.

His comfort is their number one concern.

Anything he wants....he just has to ask!

Movies...check. Jello...check. Video games...check.

Someone to challenge him in a video game....yup...they even have that!

A Child Life Specialist met us when we first checked in on Friday.

She told Blake her job while he was here, was to make sure that he had FUN!

He beamed.

Our plan for this surgery was for Blake to get an Ace Malone.

Essentially for Blake, bowel wise, he was never continent.

With Blake's level of Spina Bifida, L-5, the nerves aren't connected to the intestines, so bowel builds up in the intestines. There aren't nerves there to keep it moving. Blake constantly had bowel accidents all day long...and/or becomes very backed up. Neither are ideal.

The Ace Malone provides a bowel regimen will keep him moving regularly and also act as a bowel clean out DAILY to keep from having accidents.

But back to the fun.

In pre-op on Friday, the Child Life Specialist hooked Blake up with a movie and a portable DVD to take his mind off his upcoming procedure that day...a placement of an NG tube in his nose and an IV all done under a heavy sedative performed by an anesthesiologist. 

The calming sedative worked and they wheeled Blake into the OR with no problem.

He waved good-bye tentatively to us but was excited to get the show on the road.

Once the NG tube was in it was time to get to the business at hand.

He was hooked up to a very strong laxative drug called GoLytely

that was delivered through the NG tube in his nose directly to his stomach

all during the night Friday into Saturday.

Saturday morning the drug started working and Dave was busy.

17 changes in 6 hours.

Such a deceiving name for that drug. Trust us!

Saturday afternoon it was time for some fun.

My friend Kami from No Biggie sent Blake a fun little package for his hospital stay.

Included in it were these drinking straw glasses. Oh how we all got a kick

out of them. Even the nurses loved them. Blake was on a liquid diet for three days

so the glasses made apple juice WAY more fun to drink.

Blake had lots of visitors on Saturday also to help him keep his mind off food. Uncle Richie came to visit and the boys talked North Shore surfing quotes. Both sets of grandparents came too as well as our friends the Brummers! Grandma and Grandpa Erickson played card games with Blake and grandma read Blake all the cards he had received in the mail.

{Thank you my sweet friends/readers!}

Once the visitors left, and our hospital roommate {a 5 year old boy also having the same surgery as Blake} went for playtime downstairs it was time for a little family fun!

We found that when Blake laughed...it helped with his clean out.

So it became Family Laugh Time so Blake Could Poop Time!

We each took turns in the bathroom making Blake laugh.

Kaia went in last and oh the giggling began.

Lots of giggling from both of them.

Loud laughter.

Dave went in to check and they came out a few minutes later....

Complete with bow tie...Kaia was going to perform a ceremony with Blake and his GoLytely pole which was decked out with a veil and bouquet of flowers all made with toilet paper.

She started with how they met and how they have been attached at the hip....eeer NOSE since they met. She also talked about how much GoLytely has been giving, giving, giving and how Blake has been receiving, receiving, receiving. We were all crying in laughter.

Part TWO of his surgery stay tomorrow with more details of the ACE Malone.

Bachelorette Re-Cap here!

We were scheduled to come today but

Blake ended up throwing up all of his food late last night.

If he can keep down breakfast we get to go home today.

If he can't we will stay another day.