Lesson #2 Take advantage of the TRAUMA DRAMA

Lukie knew right away how to work the sympathy angle. The drama that comes with such situations is exactly the thing you can use to get away with an attitude and being spoiled rotten.

　

We reported to the hospital at 7:30 this morning. By 8 we were heading back to surgery. Luke didn’t walk anywhere but stayed in his jammies wrapped in his fuzzy Pooh blanket and his Scooby blanket. We had to wrestle him into the hospital jammies, he didn’t want to wear those “AT ALL”, but having a bag of new stuff from Grandma Walker to look at and play with helped.

He didn’t scream or fight anything, just growled and scowled at the blood pressure cuff and heart monitor cords. We did opt for the oral sedative to help him relax after that so when we had to part ways he was already feeling loopy and was “driving” the bed back through the doors. This made everyone feel better.

Waiting in the main lobby was awful. Wayne and I sat there with not much conversation as your nerves are a bit on guard. We both turned to our phones. The shallow vinyl chairs were spaced a ways apart, and extremely uncomfortable, the people across the room were slightly boisterous and the thermostat was malfunctioning making terrible puffing and hissing noises that increased in volume, frequency and duration until the maintenance crew finally came to take it apart.

…..okay so maybe I had some of my own trauma drama going on.

The surgery itself took right under an hour as predicted. A nurse came out to tell us it went fine and he was sleeping in recovery around 9:25. He slept for another 30 minutes before he started to arouse and they finally came to get us.

He woke up hungry, imagine that. He kept looking at his arm wrapped in red and blue (like Captain America- the nurses were good like that) sticky tape wondering where the cord and the wrapping came from. He didn’t even notice the incision and when given the ice pack back that had fallen off, he put it on his hand once the IV came out. He thought this was his owie (those suckers do hurt).

Within another half an hour, a few graham crackers, some apple juice and multiple signatures later we were carrying Luke, sporting some new Captain America jammies, out to the van.

On the way home after saying how brave he was and how god he did he asked, “Did the doctor take my bump out already?” It was awesome to hear that he didn’t even notice as he held the ice pack on his hand.

When we got home Grandma Tonsager and his big brothers had gone to the dollar store and picked out some more Avengers goods, a cap gun, some chocolate and some gum. He of course was eager to go out and shoot the gun and tried to get off the couch to walk not having used his legs yet. He immediately sunk to the ground and then repeatedly tried to walk to the door making it only to the edge of the first couch before surrendering to mom carrying him. (What a work out, 44.some odd lbs gets heavy going back and forth.) We battled him for about an hour trying to get him to stay on the couch and watch a movie or snuggle. He was not having it.

After letting him play inside and on the decks for an hour or so we tried family nap time, as the doctors assured us he would be sleepy today…… ummm NO. Mom, Dad and Jake napped. The boys did play calmly and watch the ridiculous show they are currently hooked on called Mona the Vampire (show us your faaaannggs!) We are yet to figure out just exactly how Mona turns into a vampire, if it be in dreams or purely imagination, but the Canadian made storyline is slim and only nearly as annoying as some of the Japanamation cartoons of the past couple years’ craze.

Around 5 Luke’s melodramatic crocodile tears and snotty demanding attitude got old and we gave in to letting him play outside. He was not allowed the sandbox, dirtpile, or any water toys as he cannot bathe until Friday!!! He will surely have taken on another race’s pigmentation by then.

I look up to see him riding his bike! “Lukie, doesn’t that make your owie hurt?” It’s in his groin, the peddaling has to agitate it?!?!? “Hu, uh (big smirk and shoulder shrug)” …..okay then. He proudly shows his battle wounds to all who inquire, and some who don’t.

After an hour of getting his outdoor fix, we are watching Avengers with…… you got it Captain America!!! You will never guess what kind of a birthday party he has chosen this year.
　

ANYHOW, after the surgery the doctor simply stated, “It looks like an enlarged lymph node. It will be picked up at 9:45, sent to Rapid and we should have the results within 2-3 days.” That was it, there wasn’t anymore.

AND NOW WE WAIT………..