Surgery

Hooray!  We made it through Katie's surgery with flying colors.  Katie was a trooper.  We left our house at 6AM and headed to Children's.  Gamma was there to watch Andy - thank you Gamma!  As soon as we got to Children's, my stomach started churning...I just wanted everything to be over with and to know Katie was going to be okay.  We checked in, had our pre-surgery chat with the different teams and then...they told us to give our finals hugs and kisses.  I was super bummed to not get to see Katie fall to sleep, but understood hospital procedure. 

Her surgery lasted an hour - during which time Kyle ate and I watched the clock.  She was in at 8:15 and out at 9:15 and we talked to her surgeon at 9:45.  All went well, they removed the part of her skull that had grown over the cyst, and the cyst was, in fact, filled with hair and other facial cell tissues (pretty gross sounding!).  All of the stitches are internal and dissolving and we haven't seen the incision yet, but it sounds like she'll have a divot in her skull until it grows and fills in.  The hardest part of the day, besides seeing her carried off to surgery, was seeing her coming toward us after surgery.  She was so loopy and not a happy camper.  Kyle and I both had tears.  We are so grateful that everything went smoothly and so proud of our little girl for being such a rock star through it all.  We love you baby girl!

For someone who normally sleeps in until 8:30, the 5:30 wake-up was a little early : )

This picture made me laugh, because it looks like she is biting her nails with nerves

But really, she was all smiles

Stop with the pictures, mom!

Her favorite lambie - and the markings on her head for surgery

Last hugs before surgery

First post-surgery picture

Not feeling so hot

But once she got home - back to smiles

Swollen face, which got worse before it got better

First bath after surgery - 48 hours later...finally!

Andy enjoying some attention on him after so much focus on his sister