Ike-a-saurus is set for surgery at 9 am Eastern time tomorrow morning. We have to check in at 7:30 am.
The surgery should last 4-6 hours. They'll take rib cartilage and create a little canoe looking thing out of it that will then be grafted onto his trachea, eliminating the stenosis and creating an airway wide enough for exciting things like breathing! (Here's a site that explains the surgery.)
After the surgery he'll be sedated and intubated and taken directly to the PICU where we'll be for about a week, if nothing weird happens (says I, who knows something weird ALWAYS happens). After that, word on the street is that he'll be moved to the respiratory floor where we'll stay until the doctors are sure the graft is healing and Ike is eating and coughing OK. After that, we'll be released into the wild, but it will most likely be the Cincinnati wild. We'll hang out for another couple of weeks while he's closely monitored. And then – finally, then – if things still look OK, we'll be sent home for 4-6 weeks before we come back.
Of course, all of this could change. (And because I have jinxily posted it on the blog we know it will.) This all is just the outline we've been given on how things might and should go. We won't know until we're in the thick of it.
The thick of it begins in the morning. Until then, we're getting as many hugs and kisses and "uh-ohs" and dances as we can. This is the part of the party when I start to worry about being here. The dangers and complications of the surgery creep into the back of my mind and make it literally hard for ME to breathe, and my trachea is just fine. This is such a delicate surgery, on a delicate area, and if I keep writing this I'm really going to have a panic attack right here on the hotel couch, so I'm going to stop.
Surgery tomorrow.
Surgery tomorrow.
Surgery tomorrow.
This is the day we've been waiting for and dreading since Ike was trached at five and half months old. Will it work? Will he have to the surgery repeated one day? Will he have to be retrached? One step at a time, right? I have to remember that whole minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour thing we got so good at when I was in the hospital and he was in the NICU, and then the PICU. Everything from then has trained us for now. It's like we've been in the National Guard for Larynogotracheoplasty.
Surgery tomorrow. My hands are so sweaty they're slipping off the keyboard.
Haiku of the Day 
Keeping you all in my thoughts, Kari.
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Much love to you all. Praying for you daily. ❤
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Kari,
I am so happy and scared for you all at the same time. Just thinking about it makes me nauseous. I only hope to be in your shoes very soon with Hudson. I will be thinking really good thoughts from now until we hear something from you! I am certain this is the break that you all have been waiting on. Much love!
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I am having a panic attack for you, and tearing up, and sending every positive vibe I have in my body straight to you. All things good good good good good. I will wear my Ike shirt tomorrow in solidarity, and scarcely think of anything else. Give him a big fat smooch and squeeze for me, k?
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We’ve got your back.
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Positive energy from Austin. This is GREAT news!
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We’re sending you so much love! Surgery is such a scary thing, but also so miraculous. Oh, that smile of Ike’s. What a happy, amazing, content little boy. He’s going to sail through this like the champ that he is. Big, big LOVE.
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Still praying for Ike. Give him a hug and kiss for me. I can’t wait to see him without a trach!!!
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prayers, thoughts, hugs, love.
from all of us, for all of you, and especially big little man.
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You can do this mom! Sometimes these surgeries feel like stepping in front of a train an hoping it won’t hit you. You got this, you can handle it and so can the Ikester! Much love and many prayers!
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Good luck!
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things will be fine. there, i unjinxed it.
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Y’all should be in charge of that National Guard. Lighting a candle for the little one! ❤
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Thoughts, prayers & hugs headed your way!
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ohmigosh ohmigosh, so excited. you know, if the doctors were not confident that they will be successful, they would NOT do this. They would say no, come back in 6 months. Those doctors are amazing. I have been praying for them since your drive up there.
I am so excited for Ike. Cannot wait for good news.
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In all the time I’ve been following your blog, I am amazed by how resilient your little guy is. Good thoughts for Ike and for you are headed your way from Chicago!
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I took a xanax for you today. Hope you keep some in your pocket. Good luck tomorrow — we all enjoyed videochatting and seeing Ike’s smiling face tonight. We’re excited and nervous, wishing we were right there with you. Hugs and rainbows!
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You guys haven’t left my thoughts since you got there. I’m excited, nervous and praying hard with every piece of me for a smooth day tomorrow. Big hugs.
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Thinking of you guys and praying for Ike. He is such a brave little guy with a Mama who loves him so. Sending positive vibes, prayers and virtual hugs your way….
Britney
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Good luck! My thoughts and prayers are with you.
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Yay! This is what we’ve been working for; all my love and good vibes are with y’all tomorrow morning and thereafter. Give that sweet boy a hug from me in the morning (in between all the others!) and keep a couple for y’all. I’ll be thinking about and wishing for you guys (and the wee and wee-er ones too!). Take care . . .
Anne
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You will all be in my thoughts tomorrow.
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OH, Oh oh oh oh!! So, so many good thoughts and prayers are headed your way!
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Lots of love and light for you in the Nati.
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I got this late, just this morning. So they are in the thick of it right now. I’m here in Dayton and if I could come down there and wait with you I would.
Sending you lots of prayers and positive thoughts. Take care…
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Praying Praying Praying
You Are Loved
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I have Blondie in my head, singing the tide is is high. I think that’s a good omen. Go Ike go!!!
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All of my healing thoughts and energy are being sent to sweet Ike this morning. And strength to you Kari!
Sara (long time lurker/supporter from the Austin Mamas group)
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Go Kari, Ike, and family! Sending you lots of love. You can do it even if it’s one minute at a time.
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Sending lots of love, happy, healing thoughts for your little guy.
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