As we were taken to pre-op, Violet was asked to change into some comfy scrubs for her surgery. Oddly enough, they didn't give her socks that had the treads on them. I immediately fixed that problem since running on a tile floor with just her socks on is what landed us in this situation in the first place! No repeats of that accident please!
I have to give it to Texas Children's Hospital. They know how to make the idea of a surgery one that isn't to be dreaded or afraid of. There were a couple of gaming stations there, as well as plenty of toys, board games, and movies. It was a childhood dream if you didn't count the surgery.
Violet did okay for the most part. The games kept her interested up until a certain point. Reality began to sink in and fear started to creep it's ugly head. She was such a trooper though. Even as fear started to work its way into Violet's heart she was ready to have her nose repaired. Her beloved Floppsy was with her every single step of the way! Yes, the medical team even let Violet bring Floppsy into the operating room with her. And from my understanding, Floppsy was tucked under her arm as they put her to sleep, and she was there with Violet when she woke up in post-op.
This image is forever ingrained in my mind. Violet was trying to be a brave girl and her beloved Floppsy helped her through that waiting period.
Violet's surgery didn't take very long. She was back in recovery within the hour of them taking her into the operating room. I couldn't sit still during that time and went to the gift shop to find something special for Violet. As providence would have it, I found a sweet little brown bunny that looks very much like Little Nut Brown Hare (one of our favorite bedtime stories). I grabbed him and a sweet balloon that would brighten her spirits. I went back to the waiting room and was sitting with Gregg for all of ten minutes when the doctor came in with the news that Violet did great and her surgery went better than the doctor had hoped.
The purpose for Violet's surgery wasn't to make her look like she did before her accident. No, the purpose was to insure that her nasal passages weren't blocked and that she could breathe freely. Cosmetic stuff can be done later if that is a concern. Dr. Musso came in with a big smile and said that the bone snapped back into place almost immediately (remember, she wasn't trying for a full realignment). Her thought is that Violet will look pretty close to her regular self once the swelling goes down.
Violet's recovery in post-op went very well and we went home after an hour or so. She did pretty well at home for an hour and then got sick. Dr. Musso said to call if she got sick three times and so I immediately made that call when that happened. Poor Violet was so distraught after her last stomach upset because Floppsy was in the direct path of the bucket that she missed. The tears that flowed from her were heartbreaking. Fortunately for us, Violet had a new bunny friend who stepped up and temporarily filled in for Floppsy. Thank you Little Nut Brown Hare! After cleaning Violet up, and changing the sheets on her bed, her medicine kicked in and she slept soundly throughout the night.
Violet is a very tough little girl. She had two doses of pain and nausea medicine when she declared she didn't want any more. I know part of that was because she didn't like how they made her feel. But still, she could tolerate the pain and began to go back to her perky little self. When she started sharing her knock-knock jokes was when I knew for certain she felt pretty good. Laughter really is the best medicine!
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