Ok, so now since I do have a bunch of notice for Piper's surgery, I thought to go through the binder the hospital gave us thoroughly now. It's laid out nicely as questions, so I can really think through everything and think of some questions of my own.
I've chopped up the section "If your child needs surgery" into 25 chunks, so I can write a bit every day (or will try to!). This is for me just as much as you. I find when I talk about all of this with people, they think of just as many questions as I have, and I don't know all the answers either. So this way, I can hopefully get everything covered. Here we go!
Will we get to meet the surgical team?:
This one I know the answer to already, and yes, we will. On the Monday (Feb 1), for the pre-op meeting, we will meet all of the staff that will be operating on and with Piper. I hope this meeting with be helpful. I hate the mystery of passing off my baby and not really knowing who she is with and what they are doing. This is meant to dispel some of that so we all feel a bit more comfortable.
At this meeting we will all go over why they are performing this surgery, the risks and benefits, what the procedure involves and how long the hospital stay will be.
This will be the time when we will sign some papers. Eek. What will they say? Will there be a part for liability and an "oups" portion? Will I be signing away Piper's life to the hands of these, though highly trained and skilled people, they are still just people and fallible? Will there be a part that says "in the case of accidental death..."? I can't even really go there. I really can't think of that. I have to admit the chance is there, but I can not focus on that. That is where the next part comes in:
What is an "informed consent"?:
This is admitting we know and understand the risks involved and that we understand the reason for the surgery and that we agree to have the surgery done.
I hope this isn't too much emotionally. I have no idea. I vaguely remember signing something during labour, maybe for an epideral? but that was so strange and foggy and my mind wasn't really even on this planet. This time we will need to fully read everything, looking out for anything that we don't understand.
I know the hospital/surgeons aren't trying to hood-wink us with anything, I do just want to feel as though I am well informed, hence, wanting to give my full consent.
The only part that worries me here, is that if anything negative were to happen, I might feel as though I let it. I know my options are great otherwise, but I might still end up feeling responsible. This too, I have to give up and just know that God has much steadier hands than those surgeons, anesthetists and nurses.
Ok. So the countdown begins.
Piper got shot #2 for her RSV and it went pretty well. This was the first time she cried a little before they actually poked her. That part is a little sad. Otherwise, she recovered really well, nice and fast. She's had no reaction to the shots, which is great. And every time we go in there and see all the other sick babies, I am reminded of how good we have it. She has no ventilator, or no IV strapped on or no deformation. Really, she is perfect. They are just trying to make her even more so.
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