Megan's Surgery

When Megan was 2 and a half we noticed she was starting to go cross-eyed.  We took her into an ophthalmologist who told us that she was not only cross-eyed - but had horrible vision.  She was very far-sided.  Her prescription is about a +7.  The hope was the glasses would help straiten her eyes.  We tried for about a year and a half and while the glasses helped - they weren't helping enough.  So last week Megan went in to have her eyes surgically fixed.  

It was difficulty to really explain to her the purpose of the surgery.  She wasn't cross eyed with her glasses on, and when they were off she couldn't tell a difference, and after the surgery she wouldn't be able to see any better and would still have to wear glasses all the time.  So she never really totally grasped the reason for the surgery, but she trusted us enough, I guess.  Because on the day of she was ready and brave. 

On the night before the surgery we had a family meeting and talked everything over.  Megan can't rough house, jump, run, swim, or get hit in the head for several weeks, and since that is 90% of what we do around here - we knew it was going to take a family effort to keep her safe.  Everyone had a lot of questions and concerns, then Jason gave Megan a blessing, then we put the other kids to bed and stayed up and talked with Megan for a little while longer.  She had a lot of good questions, and then at the end she said, "well, I don't have any more questions, but I am still a little scared, but I think I will be ok."  When I went upstairs  I found that Brock was very nervous about Megan's surgery and was crying saying his nightly prayers, when I talked to him about it he said, "I was ok with the surgery, until dad said they were going to use a knife, and now I think it is too dangerous."  This is just like Brock, he thinks he is responsible for everyone in the house, he is a very caring big brother.  We talked about the surgery for a while and then he went to bed. 

We had to wake Megan up at 6:30 to go to the hospital.  My good friend Krista, came over and stayed with the kids all morning - it is so great to be away from family and have friends who will step in and fill that void.  She was so happy and bubbly all morning waiting for her surgery.

They told us one of us could go in with her until she fell asleep.  She really wanted Jason to - and Jason is VERY protective in hospital environments, so it was natural that he was the one to go in.

Then right before they wheeled her back they told us that I could go in also.  So I got all dressed up and we were both able to be with her.  It wasn't a long surgery - only 45 minutes or so.  But when it was over, no one had prepared us for her waking up.  She was screaming and inconsolable.  It was heart breaking - I have never seen a child act like that before.  Jason picked her up and put her in his lap.  It helped a little - but she was so confused and so out of it that she just cried and screamed.  She wanted him to sing "If Praying were Horses" from the musical "Civil War".  So he did, over and over again.  Until she fell asleep.  We unhooked her from the IV, got her dressed, and took her home all while she was still asleep.  She must remember her dad taking care of her in the post-op room, because she hasn't wanted to leave his side since we got home.  That night she told me, "I love you, but it is just that I love dad more."  Awesome!  I said, "It's ok - I love him too."  She has been very responsible and happy about her recovery, except for her medicine, she has to put this gel in her eyes every morning and night.  And she would not! (it makes her eyes blurry and she hates that)  She was so upset about it - we had to force it every time - with screaming and fits.  Then on Sunday morning she came into our room at 6:15 am and said, "I want my medicine now so I can go back to my room and close my eyes so they don't have to blurry."  What a smart and sensible girl - I hope she always stays that way.

It took a few days for her eyes to become completely blood shot.  This was everyone's favorite part.  especially Madison.  On the days leading up to the surgery Madison would say in her prayers, "please bless that Megan will love her red eyes".  And as soon as we came home from the hospital Madison said, "I want to see Megan's red eyes."