The long wait....

It is kind of surreal that we are sitting here waiting on Mayleigh's big surgery. I knew this day would come. I had talked to the surgeons even before we accepted Mayleigh's file and knew this was in her future. But for some reason it is still crazy that we are sitting here. Surprisingly, we are doing ok. Well, there are moments I feel fine and calm and then there are moments when I feel like I could just start balling. But we are resting assured that Mayleigh is in the best hands. Dr. Levitt is the best surgeon at this specific issue. Cant get any better than that!
Yesterday after checking in to our room they started Mayleigh on an IV and her meds to clean out her bowels. Bigger kids can drink the stuff but they said at her age is hard to get as much as they have to drink down. So they did the NG tube to get her meds in. She did great apparently getting her IV and NG tube in. They took her away to do that so we didn't have to watch. She wasnt crazy about the NG tube. It took some time getting used to. She gagged a lot at first and it made her drool.

It took a few hours to get the poop moving but once it did we were draining her colostomy bag often. The nurses looked at us like we were crazy for using the double diaper technique. But it works for us. They advised us using bags with the clean out since there would be so much and it would be pretty much liquid. (sorry for TMI) :) We are so used to the poop talk at our house! ;) So we spent about every hour during the night helping the nurses out. When they came in to drain her bag or check her vitals, Mayleigh flips out. She DOES NOT want anyone messing with her. She has had enough done in her short life that she gets it.

This morning we were taken down to surgery around 8. We talked with the anesthesiologist and Dr. Levitt. The hardest part about today is that there are still unknowns. With imperforate anus they have what is known as a short common channel or a high channel. It is better at 3cm. When they went in to look around a few months ago and check out where everything is, they saw that hers is 5 cm channel. He said sometimes these are inaccurate so that is the big unknown that changes a lot for her today. Dr. Levitt will make an anus opening and the vaginal opening (she also has what is called chloaca which means she does not have a vaginal opening.) Then if it is too high for him to reach the rectum they will have to make an incision in her belly to go in to reach. We are praying that his earlier test were wrong and everything will be done from the back. This will be a much easier recovery for her. It also will change the length of surgery. 4-5 hours to 6-8 if they have to go in through the belly. Depending also on how things go she will maybe be given an epidural at the end of surgery for pain. She will also be on pain meds through the IV.
We are expecting her to be pretty sleepy and out of it today but honestly have no idea what to expect after that. Poor thing. Praying her pain can be managed and we will be able to give her the comfort she needs.
We are so thankful for all the love and support we have recieved. We feel your prayers and thoughts!! Mayleigh is so loved...she has no idea!!

Happily playing before she got messed with! 

Love this picture of the two of them. So sweet.  

It was a long day. Up very early and not a lot of naps.