The night before the operation, I read 3 Bible stories to her. There were all about Jesus- Jesus brings a boy back to life (Luke 6-7); Jesus heals the woman who touches his clothes (Mark 5) and Jesus stops a storm (Mark 4). These are the Bible stories we are supposed to read next week but I think it was rather fitting for us to read the night before the surgery.
The stories comforted us. We knew that nothing is impossible for God. He is stronger and bigger than any problem we faced. ST and I thought we won't be able to sleep that night but he ended up sleeping rather earlier. I slept a bit late but not later than usual.
The operation was set for 9am. We need to reach the eye center by 830am. Den was not allowed to eat in the morning. So we decided not to wake her up. Instead, we carried her up to the car and let her continue to sleep in the car. We only woke her up when we reached the eye center. We wanted to shorten the time between her awake and the operation so that hopefully she won't be hungry. The tactic worked. She never asked for milk. We reached the center 15 min earlier and it was not opened yet. We waited for a while before all the nurses came in. They measured Den's heartbeat and put a name tag on her wrist. Den is very sensitive to touch and kept complaining about the tag.We were briefed by a very nice anesthetist, Dr. Cheah (Den needed GA-general anesthetic). She told us what to expect before and after the operation. I took the opportunity to ask if there were any needles involved. Den is super afraid of needles. Dr Cheah told us she would be using the gas mask to put Den to sleep first before she inserts the cannula into her vein. Den and I thought that was a prayer answered!
Soon after Den and I changed into the clothes provided by the center, we were ushered into the operation theater. ST and I decided I would be the one accompanying Den into the room until she was put to sleep. After that, I would have to leave the room, which I am very grateful for. I don't think I can stand to watch the operation. I always looked away whenever there is any scene of an operation on TV...
In OT room, I carried Den while Dr. Cheah put a mask covering Den's nose and mouth. She asked Den to blow up a balloon. Every time she blow out air, the balloon would be inflated. Then it shrinked again. Den did it a few times before she started to lose consciousness. She started to struggle then. Dr. Cheah already briefed me about this, so I just hang on to her. After a few seconds of struggling, Den was unconscious and I was ushered out.
We waited at the lounge along with my parents for about 45-50min. I saw a cute little girl, maybe one plus to 2 years old getting ready for an operation. She was still sucking on a pacifier. Once again, I thank God that Den was only having an operation when she was 4.5 years old and not earlier, at least now we can reason with her.
Before Den was wheeled out, Dr. Choong came out and told us the operation was straightforward and successful. He did not foresee any problem. I thanked God silently.
When Den came out of the OT, she was still unconscious. She woke up a few minutes later and started to make a very big fuss. Dr. Cheah warned us about that but I did not expect her to struggle like that. She screamed and she kicked and she would not want to be comforted or settle down.
We kept asking her what was wrong but she can't answer us. I think she was still very confused. We kept trying to restrain her because we worry she would rub her eyes and she kept struggling....did not know she was that strong!
Finally, she opened her eyes and saw my dad and she wanted my dad to carry her. She settled down for a min or two when my dad carried her and then she realized the cannula attached to her left wrist. She wanted to pull the cannula out and started another screaming fuss when we refused.
We kept telling her we had to wait for her to drink and not throw up before the nurse can take out the cannula but she was beyond reasoning. We took turns carrying her and tried to settle her down. We managed to feed her one small sip of water but the nurse said we better fed more before she took out the cannula. So the crying continued. I am glad there was no other patient in the room.
We got her to drink two more sips of water and the nurse decided to take out her cannula. She took out the cannula and put plaster and cotton on her wound. This time Den cried and screamed for the nurse to take out the plaster and cotton. She scream so loud that the nurse decided to change it to a normal bandage. She still refused to calm down and continue to scream "Take it out! Take it out!"
That's when I finally realized something is amiss. I asked Den if was she crying because of the bandage or because she can't open her eyes. She told me because she can't open her eyes.
Dr. Cheah told us before the operation, she might not be able to open her eyes for a while because of the oil doc put on her eyes. Some of the patients can open their eyes right after the operation and some have to wait til at night.
Den can't open her eyes when she first came out of OT, but a few minutes later she could open them wide and saw my dad (and later saw the cannula). I think it was not comfortable for her and so she shut them tight again and they were stuck once again and she can't open them despite struggling.
There was nothing I can do but hold her. Maybe because now that I found out the reason for her discomfort, she was somehow comforted. She let me hold her till she fell asleep.
From out of OT to asleep, it was only one short hour but it felt like hours.
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