Bone Graft Surgery

      Well, the day we've been waiting for finally arrived! We woke up early to beat the traffic and any snow squalls that were forecasted. The drive wasn't too bad, and we made it to SickKids with time to spare. Lucille's first appointment was at the Dentistry department, where they removed her palate expander and cleaned the glue off her teeth. She was thrilled to have that device out of her mouth!

After some x-rays, we were off to our next stop: a CT scan.

We had some time to kill in between appointments, so we headed to the library, where a pilot from Air Canada read us a story. After that, we visited the gift shop, where we picked up a Christmas sweater for Lucille— made famous by Ryan Reynolds!

Next, we checked in for pre-op, and everything moved quickly. We met the anesthesiologist and spoke with Dr. Fisher about the surgery, what it would involve, and how long it would take. The nurse offered Lucille a chocolate mixture to help calm her nerves, and she eagerly accepted. This was given to her just before Dr. Fisher took photos of her mouth. After returning to our seats, I continued reading to her, and within minutes, she became loopy and was struggling to stay awake. We transferred her to a wheelchair, and soon afteìr, a stretcher, since she couldn't stay upright.

 Lucille had communicated that she wanted me to come into the operating room with her while she went under anesthesia as Esther went last time. I suited up in some hospital attire (see picture below) and accompanied her. Being in the room with her was emotional, but I whispered that she was my hero and that we loved her to the moon and back before she fell completely unconscious. 

The surgery took just under two hours, and Dr. Fisher came to let us know everything went well and that we’d be able to see Lucille in about 30 minutes, though only one of us could go in at a time. I went first.

Lucille was groggy and barely awake, but she managed to mumble, "I love you," which absolutely melted my heart. Now, we’ve been moved to a private room where Lucille is awake, drinking fluids, broth and having jello and talking. She even took a few steps to the bathroom! 

We stayed overnight and hoped to be discharged the next day. We felt all the positive vibes you sent our way today—thank you so much. We are both emotionally exhausted but are also so relieved to have it over with. 

Part II- The Morning After

Lucille slept in between medicine visits from the nurse for her pain. She had breakfast that consisted of water, broth and jello. Dr Fisher has visited and is pleased with her limited swelling. Lucille needed to have another CT scan prior to us being discharged. Once that was done, we got the all-clear and we made our way back home. We are now back in the comfort of our home where Lucille is snuggled up with her dog by the Christmas tree watching Christmas movies. 

Will update as the week moves along. 

~Brandon