G-Tube Removal!

The day has finally come! Monday, June 18. The day Caden's g-tube comes out! It is so hard to believe we are actually at this point in our lives where this is possible. To give you an idea of part of why we wanted it out so badly, here a few “before” pics.

You can see the redness and irritation surrounding the tube. The red part is granulation tissue and it grows quickly and we have to work really hard to keep it under control. It causes him pain and discomfort. The granulation tissue is the body's way of trying to get rid of the foreign object in his body. Not everyone with a tube has this problem, but some people are more sensitive to it than others. And, in true Caden form, he is in the smaller minority of kids who have problems with this.

Now, here we are at the hospital getting ready for surgery. We felt more comfortable doing surgery in Sacramento where we already had an established relationship with the surgeon. So, instead of having surgery in Washington State where we live, we opted to come down to California. Definitely more of a hassle, but absolutely worth it in our minds!

They gave Caden Versed before wheeling him back to the OR. This helps relax patients and keep them calm before surgery. It makes it less traumatic on Caden and easier for the hospital staff to do their job. He's so adorable sitting on the gurney, smiling, as they roll him down the hall.

 

It's always so hard to see your “baby” completely knocked out after surgery, wearing an oxygen mask.  :( We were happy to let him rest and wake up on his own, but his recovery nurse got a little anxious and woke him up too quickly. This caused him to be quite grumpy! You can see it on his face in the pictures! Even as we were wheeling him out in the wheelchair, he was not smiling. He was not amused about the whole thing. 

We are now entering a new phase of life. No more g-tube. It's so hard to believe! Thank you all for your prayers. Please continue to pray so we can get Caden to start chewing his food, start feeding himself, and actually start to enjoy eating.