Post-surgery: Number 7

It's good to be home.  It's so much warmer inside.  My word it was cold out there today, and windy too.  The roads really were not that bad considering the weather reports of snow and ice from yesterday.  Our drive in wasn't that bad because A) not that many cars were on the road and B) I left way early just in case.  The parking lot at the hospital was by far the worst part of the drive.  There are no flat parking lots.  Everything is sloped.  I tried to park in one spot and literally could not get my car over the melted-refrozen snow.  So I backed up and called Trey.  He suggested backing into a parking spot and that did the trick.  Then I took one foot out of the car and realized we were in for a hard walk to the lobby.  The entire parking lot was like an ice skating rink.  Frozen solid with big snow chunks everywhere.  I started to walk on the frozen black top (carrying my purse and Lauren wrapped up in a blanket, trying to shield her from the frigid wind) and quickly realized that wasn't going to work.  It was a small incline up to the hospital and I was quickly sliding backwards.  I was so nervous that we were going to bust it right there in the parking lot.  I pulled myself together and figured out that walking on the refrozen snow was slightly easier.  After that we made it inside and breathed a sigh of relief.

We got to the hospital around 8:15 when were weren't required to be there until 8:45.  They quickly got us checked in and into a hospital room to wait.  It's the same hospital room we've been in the last 2 or 3 times.  I don't know if that is a coincidence or on purpose.  Lauren wasn't thrilled with the nurse who came to check her vitals.  But I'm sure that was nerves and her remembering what happened 3 weeks ago.

In a trance... Sesame Street was on the TV.

The surgery scheduled before ours was a no show so we got moved up a few minutes early.  Lauren was actually in the recovery area by the time her surgery was actually scheduled to start.  That has never happened and was a welcomed change!

She had one of the best recoveries she's ever had.  She didn't wake up mad or screaming/crying.  Just a little nervous and confused.  Once I got to pick her up all was well.  She was pretty tipsy and a little nauseated, but nothing major.  Our recovery nurse was wonderful.  We'd had him before and he is just so kind and gentle with her.  He's British and I liked listening to his accent.  (Incidentally, I remember not liking this nurse the last time we had him, but it was my attitude and not his!) He even walked us downstairs so I had less to carry and ensured we made it to our car through the icy parking lot.  The nurses are always the best!

We won't go back for another 6 months or so.  More than likely it will be in September or October because she will have to lose any tan she acquired in the summer before having the laser used.  But I'm a sunscreen Nazi, so she probably won't have too much of a tan, if any, on her face.  After her next treatment we'll probably only have to go once a year for "maintenance" purposes.  This is just to ensure that the stain stays light, doesn't get darker or start to thicken.  Basically, the doctor told me that her stain is really not getting much lighter with these frequent treatments.  So, we've done all we can do.  And I'm okay with that. 

After all, God is in control and He determines the shade of her PWS.  No one else.

So, now we wait for these dots to go away!  It will probably take the better part of 4 to 6 weeks before they are completely gone. 

Purely coincidence that I dressed her in a polka dot fleece today!