On January 20 Sarah Kathryn had her tonsils taken out at Jackson Hospital. Dr. Owens was her ENT.
Sarah Kathryn was a real trooper and was even excited to get to the hospital and let the nurses take her vitals. It was all a big adventure. She was inconsolable as the anesthesia wore off. She kept jumping off the hospital bed and trying to leave the room. I asked her where she was going and she said, "I'm leaving". It took a while for her to get used to being tethered to the iv pole. Once the pain medicine kicked in she calmed down a lot. She just wanted to sit in my lap while she slept, so we sat in a dark recovery room and I sang her favorite songs until she fell asleep. By the time they moved us to a real hospital room, Sarah Kathryn was practically bouncing off the walls. She was so tired, but the pain medicine made her hyper and jittery. She would get up, grab her iv pole and bounce around the room trying out the chairs and tidying up messes.
It's not very often that I get to spend a lot of time with just one of the children. Being with Sarah Kathryn for two days was a great opportunity to get to know her better. I never realized how particular she is and how loving. The hospital provided lots of treats, puzzles and coloring supplies. Grandma and Papa brought her gummy bears and a new toy. Sarah Kathryn would get out of bed to make sure everything was clean and arranged the way she liked it. It reminded me of Bubo. I mentioned it to my dad and he said from Sarah Kathryn's point of view she got all the ice cream and juice she can eat, more space to herself than she's ever had in her life, she doesn't have to share her mom, has her own flat screen tv and people keep bringing her surprises...she must have really enjoyed it. When Dr. Owens asked her the next day if she was ready to go home she said "no". At night, Sarah Kathryn couldn't settle down to sleep so I scratched her back and sang to her. She insisted I sleep in the hospital bed with her. Techs and nurses kept waking her up for medicine and vitals. I'd have to put her back to sleep. At one point I thought Sarah Kathryn was sleeping but I was tossing and turning. Sarah Kathryn rolled over and scratched my back. I'm so glad I got to spend that time with her and learn new things about her. It's nice to be able to spoil the kids from time to time...not having to worry about chores and responsibilities. For a couple of days I was available for all the comforting, caring and play time she wanted and needed. It may not have been an ideal situation or location but I'll always treasure that time with Sarah Kathryn and the opportunity to recognize the need for more one-on-one time with all the children on a regular basis. My kids are amazing!
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