Baby's First Surgery

So on January 7th we went for Robin's one month check-up and all seemed well.  She was gaining weight, responding and reacting like she is supposed to, yadda yadda yadda.  The Drs said everything was on track and that we were doing fine as parents.  How ever, after pressing down on her abdomen he found that she had a small lump that he thought might be a hernia.  This was news to us as she had never made any sign of discomfort in that area during diaper changes or bathing.  The Dr assured us that it was nothing we could have known and that while she wasn't hurting right now, we needed to check to see what the lump was since it could do permanent damage.

So later that week we packed up and went to the main hospital in Okayama City.  I say pack up because when you are traveling with a one month old you have no idea what you are going to need.  On a side note, if you are ever going on a day trip with a friend with a baby, show up their house early.  That may seem rude, but you will be a big help if you offer to watch said baby for a few minutes so the parents can finish eating breakfast, packing the diaper bag, brushing their teeth, getting themselves dressed, etc.

Anyway, at the hospital the Dr confirmed that it was indeed an inaugural hernia and that she would need surgery (read more on that here- http://www.chp.edu/CHP/Inguinal+Hernia+Repair+Surgery).  He told us that this was a common procedure and that it would be quick with a quick recovery as well.  Still, we were a little worried about her having surgery so small.

The following week we checked into the hospital.  As much as I was worried about the surgery, it was interesting to be in a Japanese hospital.  First off, we were given a bed, not a crib and a chair as I assumed we would get, and told to co-sleep with Robin.  The bed had large sides that slid up and down to make an adult size crib.  This was just weird as both co-sleeping and these types of beds are frowned upon for babies in the US.  We were also given a pillow and a comforter for Robin- another no-no for safety in the US.

Because only one parent could stay and because Motoaki had work, it was decided that I would stay with Robin.  I was a little nervous about my lack of Japanese, but luckily I had the experience of staying in the hospital after her birth to go off of.  The main difference this time is that we had a roommate.  And we were quite close.  The beds were actually pushed up against one another with a curtain drawn between them.  But we could hear everything the others were doing and vice versa.

I don't mean to talk ill of a baby, but I was so impressed at how well Robin behaved compared to this other baby.  While it screamed through the day and night, she just stayed calmly in the bed while I read aloud from my kindle.  And it didn't seem to be screaming due to whatever it was in the hospital for because the mother just kept asking it, "What's wrong?" rather than say, "Oh I know your such and such hurts," or "I know you don't like the medicine but you have to drink it."

Actually, it wasn't the kid that so much annoyed me but it was the other mother.  The few times that Robin was fussy at night, I took her to the hall and to the common room, walking and rocking her so that she became calm again so that she wouldn't wake the other baby.  The same thing with the lights and whatnot- I kept the lamps on our side soft at night so as not to disturb the roommates, but she would turn the lights on super bright at all hours.  To be fair, she had a curtain around the bed so I don't know what she was doing (she might have needed a bright light) but I still think she could have been considerate.  During the day too she kept leaving the baby in the crib to go out into the hallway alone.  She also only had one song that she sang, a counting one that I pretty much memorized in the first five minutes.

Enough of that- back to Robin.  So we had an uneventful first day and then the next day was surgery.  She was cut off from eating for four hours before the surgery which got a little difficult as time passed, but thankfully we had a soothie.  I was against pacifiers since my mother had always been against them, but this thing was a life saver.  An hour before the surgery they brought her a light robe (see picture) to change into and asked if I wanted to be present for the operation.  I said no because I figured I would just be upset.  Plus, she wouldn't know I was there anyway.

When it finally came time for the operation the nurse came to get me and we went together up to the entrance of the operating room.  I handed her over to the Dr and then was told to wait back in my room.  I got some lunch and started to write my Jaken article for the next month.  It was just under an hour when the same nurse came to get me to go pick Robin up.  I assumed that she would be passed out when we got her but she came out of the surgery room awake and crying.  She wasn't wailing but you could tell she was not happy.  I was really nervous to hold her but they encouraged it and promised I wouldn't hurt her.  I took her back to our room and since she couldn't eat for another four hours, I gave her the soothie to her and sang to her.  I am sure that the Japanese woman who was my roommate is writing her blog about how annoying my songs were, especially when I forgot second verses and repeated the first verses over and over.

Finally after four hours she got to eat and after that she was pretty much back to being the baby we were used to, just slightly more alert and a lighter sleeper.  She got upset when they took the IV out but otherwise didn't seem too put out by the pain she had.  This amazed me as I know that if I had gotten stitches I would be moaning about it for at least a day after.  In a way it was nice that she had surgery this young as it doesn't really mean anything to her.

On a side note, you see in the picture that they attached the IV with a big pad taped around the baby's arm.  I am so stupid- the day before when I saw the kids with these I was like, "Wow, a lot of kids getting arm/hand surgery!"

Motoaki came that night and helped comfort her while I stole away for food.  Though the small hospital where I gave birth was great, it was so nice to be in this big hospital that had a major coffee shop, a bakery, and a convenience store.  She didn't sleep through the night but she wasn't fussy either.  Again, just sitting there while I read to her.

The next morning Motoaki came and we got ready to go home.  The Dr did one last check, changing her bandage and giving us some simple instructions on caring for it.  We joked later about her big crush on him as she was so focused on his face when he was talking.  She's getting better at focusing but will go in and out as far as looking at one object or person, but this guy captivated her.  Actually, I will note that all of the staff at the big hospital seemed good looking and young.  You watch shows like ER and Greys Anatomy and you think, yeah this is good but you never find Dr.s and Nurses quite so attractive in real life, but they were there in the children's ward in Okayama.  But I think I heard somewhere that the hospital has an association with the university, so that would explain the drama-like staff.

The rest of the week she would wake up crying a lot more, but I wasn't sure if that was due to a growth spurt or an operation.  We went back the following week to get the bandage taken off and the Dr said she was good to go.  I guess I would just like to end by saying that if you have anyone you know that has to go through this, it really isn't that bad.