Christmas Weekend

Made it through Christmas--barely!  Julia managed to blow out a stitch on her bone graft sometime on Christmas Eve day.  Thankfully, I'm in contact with Dr. Del (via facebook no less!) and soft diet--no brushing on the incision area, calm down--no beating on her brothers etc.  We've been doing all that--so not sure what else to do.  Pray?  This am she looks 100% better.  So time will tell if it took.  Geez, only 2 more to do after this!!

Christmas Eve mass, Julia was our swollen Christmas angel--the boys were shepherds again.  I only got pictures of Rauan's butt.  Christmas am--up bright and early.  The kids were in heaven--except Julia was mad--no candy canes or airheads.  I promised her I would save her some.  That calmed her down--for a few minutes.  That Russian temper!!!  After "brunch"  I went back to bed for an hour.  Ted worked at setting up the new computer.  Ted and the boys went out to play pond hockey with the Rottiters--Julia laid on the couch and played with Chewie's new leapster.  The boys came home and we took the wild dogs for a walk.  They were still wild.  Steak for dinner--for us.  Mac N Cheese for the princess.  Today, we are going to my sister's and have little Christmas celebration.  

Bone Graft

Currently at the hospital with Julia.  Bone graft done today and she is gorked.  She had issues last time--so they let her sleep off the anesthesia instead of doing a reversal in the OR--and 10 hours later she is still sleepy.  I'm not complaining---I'm a big believer in sleep.  We had tears starting right in the preop area when she knew she was going back, but luckily one of the ladies in child life--whom I'm lucky enough to work with--knew she was coming and helped prep her(thanks Heather!)  I carried her back to the OR and held her in my arms until she went under.  Yes--that is common practice here at AFCH--I'm proud of my hospital for being a leader in this practice.  Who else better to comfort their child besides the parent??  But I digress.  As always, best nurses, technician, doctors ever!!  Besides the bone graft--which involved taking a little bit of bone from her hip and transferring it to her gumline--she also had tubes placed in her ears.  Her hearing has steadily gone downhill in the past 2 years.  So--time for tubes before it gets worse.  She woke up very nicely in the PACU (thanks Katie!).  We transferred up to P4 and have had great nursing staff--Claude, Sarah and Kristen so far.  IV antibiotics and a full liquid diet.  She loved the tomato soup!  Some nausea and a dose of zofran--great drug!  Visitors today also--Olivia and her mom, Ms. Troia, and then friends of ours, the Freys, sent a balloon and stuffed dog.  We are so blessed to have such wonderful people around us--friends, family, and a wonderful group of coworkers.
So, above is Julia before--modeling her new pedicure and hairstyle--and after.

Another year has almost passed.  How does time pass so quickly?  Next week Julia goes in for her big surgery--the bone graft.  2 surgical sites--one in her mouth the other on the hip (where the bone comes from).  Yes, it is just before Christmas--trust me, I've weighed the pros and cons--but this way Ted and I can keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't overdo things.  I'm nervous about this one because Julia does understand what is going on.  She asked me how many more surgeries is she going to have to have and I honestly answered--I don't know.  I do know once she reaches full facial growth--around 16 or so--her deviated septum will be fixed.  Beyond that--I think we're going to leave it up to her.  Yes, her lip is still a bit crooked and the nostrils aren't quite perfect--but whose is??  If she wants more done, we'll take care of it--but I'm not going to push anything.  Now orthodontic on the other hand--yes--that's going to be next.  Speaking of which--Rauan is up next for the palate expansion.  Already have the molds done and I'll get the bill the first week of January.  Happy 2011. 
January 12 is the date for Chewie's next procedure.  MRI of his spine with flexion and extension.  Looking for a cyst.  Then to the PICU for ICP monitoring--intra cranial pressure.  Damn--and all I wanted was his age changed.  Nothing simple for the Pritchards. 
Of course in Wisconsin winters give us even more excitement.  Last week--dumbass--also known as Ted, decided to go outside to the van to get his blackberry.  Which wouldn't be so bad except for the fact of a--we just had a nasty snowstorm that started with freezing rain.  b-he was barefoot.  c-it was dark and he went down the front steps--on his ass and side.  Ted said he heard a crack--so he thinks he broke a rib.  I say crack with muscular stress--but what the hell--I'm a nurse with how many years experience--what do I know???  He refused to go to the ER or urgent care--so heating pads, ibuprofen, deep breathing (to prevent pneumonia) and sleeping upright in the chair for the past week.  Pretty much what would be done anyways.  Of course, he continued to not listen to his wife--the nurse--and went and coached hockey.  Which meant being out on skates on the ice.  Not the brightest idea.  I've pretty much given up--except to make sure his life insurance policy is up to date.  Dumbass.  Nothing more to add to that.
I'll keep everyone up to date on Julia's procedure--probably mostly facebook--but I'll put photos up here too.  Work in progress.