Lola's Surgery

Lola was born with an extra thumb. Normally, I'd think that was a bonus. Just think about all she could do with an extra thumb. She could be the envy of our classical guitarist friend Tom. She could blaze the keypad on her (whatever gadget that will replace the) Blackberry. She could go up to eleven!

Unfortunately, neither of Lola's thumbs functioned the way they should so she used one thumb to grasp things (even though it wouldn't straighten out completely), and the other one served as a sometime binky (this one wouldn't bend at all). So it was clear that one thumb would need to go. And, since the outside thumb wouldn't bend and would sometimes get in her way, it would be the one. Besides, she rarely even sucked on it any more.

Our old pediatrician referred us to a hand surgeon when she was just a day old. He obviously thought highly of her (if you can infer that from him describing her as a "genious") and after meeting with her, Kelly and I concurred. So Lola's surgery has been planned since her birth. The surgeon wanted to wait until she was a year old so that she'd have more bone, ligaments, tendons, etc. to work with, plus, as she explained, babies handle anesthesia much better after they're a year old. So we waited.

Lola has been in to have x-rays and evaluations several times. The surgeon explained that she'd not only remove the extra thumb but also reposition the existing thumb and try to gain more movement through the moving and grafting of tendons, ligaments, and skin. It would be fairly major reconstructive work. She'd have general anesthesia, but it would just be day surgery -- she'd be home by late afternoon -- and she'd wear a cast for four weeks. We could handle that.

Four days after Locke and Lola's first birthday, we took Lola in for her surgery. I never mentioned her surgery before on a post, probably because the thought of having our baby put under general anesthesia and going through what could be fairly painful surgery was something I didn't like to think about. It made me very nervous. And a bit sick. Plus, since we were staying at my parents' house the weeks before the surgery, with little access to a computer, I couldn't write about it when I was having to confront the majority of the fear.

The day arrived all too soon. Kelly and I took Lola to the hospital at 6:30am while Mom and Dad and my sister Lesa stayed with Locke. The nurses checked her in, checked her vitals, and, after waiting what seemed to be days but in fact was only an hour and a half, gave her a sedative that made her somewhat inebriated. They also explained that the drug also has amnesic qualities so that when she comes back for any further treatment, she won't remember being scared, in pain, etc. Hmmm, it seems like I would have learned about such a drug on House but I guess that episode is upcoming.

When they took her away, it did help somewhat that she was smiling and blowing raspberries, and encouraging me to make noises back at her. But it gave both Kelly and I a sick feeling in the pits of our stomachs to watch her go into the operating room -- even knowing she was in the best possible hands. It's just not easy handing your baby over to people who are about to operate on her.

Kelly and I went to the cafeteria to attempt to eat breakfast and read the newspaper. In almost exactly two hours later (which is how long they said the surgery would take), the surgeon called my cellphone. She met us in the day surgery room and showed us before and after pictures on her camera. It was awesome. Despite the snaking lines of stitches and the metal wire extending from the tip of her thumb, Lola's hand looked totally normal. Like any other one-year-old's thumb. The surgeon told us what she attempted, where she was successful, and where she was challenged. Basically, Lola's thumb will be functional but will not have the mobility of a normal thumb. She'll no doubt adapt well to her limitations. She should be able to do most anything she sets her mind to, and do it well. And she can become whatever she wants to become.

Lola emerged from the surgery downing a bottle of apple juice. She'd never tasted it before and evidentally didn't have to acquire a taste for it. It was love at first sip. She was a little out of it but soon the first signs of our Lola appeared. She began making her noises, blowing raspberries, and pointing to everything in sight. She was going to be just fine.

She's adapted well to her cast, and gets better able to compensate each day. She's walking very well and carrying toys around with her other hand. We keep a sock on it to keep the cast clean and to cushion the blows to Locke, Kelly and me, but they've been few and fairly painless so far. In four weeks (now three), she'll have her cast and the wire removed. And she can begin to develop her movement and skills with it.

She'll have to have another surgery when she's 7 or 8 but I won't be posting about that for some time to come. Although, judging by this first year, it will be here sooner than I can imagine.