Spontaneous is NOT always a good word ...

So ... LeAnna's the one with the chest pain ... BUT, I'm the one who had the heart attack yesterday!

Oh MY Goodness ... just when you think it can't get worse ... well ... let me start from the beginning ...

We took LeAnna to the doc yesterday due to her now more frequent complaints of chest pain ... not your "I can't breathe" chest pain - we would have been at the ER a long time ago if that were the case ... she has had pain in her chest area where a sternal wire is protruding ... and to be on the safe side we made an appointment at the doctor ...

so ... appointment yesterday ... and her pediatrician said she deserved a second opinion with the surgeon who performed the surgery 3 1/2 years ago ... not an emergency, but they would refer and set up an appointment this week and call us with the info ... and in the mean time keep a "pain journal".

I got a call before I got home with the appointment of next Monday at 1:45 ...

THEN ... after being home less than 10 minutes the phone rang and it was the surgeons office ... stating again the appointment day and time and for LeAnna not to eat 6 hours prior to the appointment ... because once Dr. Christian evaluated it might be necessary to go straight to the OR ... for us to bring a bag but not to worry it was possible she would go home Monday night after surgery and that it would take longer to get her to sleep than to actually do the surgery ...

WHAT?! WHAT?! AND WHAT did you just say?!

explain again ... a little slower ... and in ABC 123 terminology that I can comprehend at this said moment please!!!!!

because even though I heard everything that was "coldly" and in a "matter of factly" manner stated to me ... I did not comprehend that my child could possibly have surgery at VUMC on Monday afternoon ...

again ... sorry ... WHAT?!?!?!?!?!

yes ... stress level rising ... tears flowing ... and in a few nano seconds - one million thoughts went through my head of what to tell LeAnna!!!

the child who 2 hours before was afraid of getting a simple shot at the doctor?!

the child who just last summer (3 years after surgery) was still making mention of waking up during surgery? (which we had already been to see the surgeon 2 1/2 years ago when all this came up and finding validity in what she had to say about it ... Dr. Christian said there was no way a 3 year old could come up with what she told her she remembered) ... anyhoo ... KNOWING all this ... I just couldn't imagine telling LeAnna that even though we were just going to be checked on Monday that it was possible they would wisk her off to surgery ... aaahhhhhh - NO! oh yeah, and by the way - don't eat or drink all day - just in case!

Can't even begin to describe my state of mind at that moment ... and what all I was thinking ...

We have decided NOT to mention this to LeAnna for now ... so if any of our "little friends" are reading this, parents PLEASE don't let them mention it to her ...

I tried calling the surgeons office back to discuss this and see if there was an option to just "evaluate" on Monday and "schedule" surgery for another day if needed ... no answer ...

SO ... this morning ... tried again ... finally got through (specialty surgeon's office and VUMC on top of that!) ... the lady who I got patched through to, said, "oh yes, Ms. Batson, I have you here on a list to call ... was just getting ready to contact you ... after speaking with Dr. Christian again, she said LeAnna does not have to be NPO for the visit (meaning she can eat and drink up until the appointment) and that surgery would not fit into Dr. Christian's schedule for Monday afternoon if needed" ...

WOW! relief! for now ... however, knowing there is still a possibility ... but at least we can 'schedule' something instead of the spontaneity approach! (my little brain invisionment - "dr. christian to leanna ... well, leanna looks like you need these sternal wires out that are protruding ... hmmm ... I have some time to kill in the next hour before I go to dinner ... let's just put on this gown, lay on this gurney and we'll head to the OR now!)

anyhoo ... they are "thinking" it's the sternal wires ... they don't know yet ... they acted as if it were a common thing and a common procedure to remove them ... whatever ... nothing is COMMON about surgery and being put to sleep no matter how minor!

So ... we still do appreciate any prayers you pray on her behalf ... because if it is necessary later to remove them ... she is going to need prayer to get through this mentally ... especially "remembering" the last surgery ...

I covet your prayers.

limp as a noodle but coping - ha!

happy day ... tammy