Anxiety about upcoming surgery

  • Thread starter Thread starter Allegra
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
I hadn’t seen this thread.

Keeping your little girl in my prayers.
 
Okay. I thought tablets were supposed to be hypnotic, addictive, brain-enslaving devices that parents use to “turn off” their kids so they can get some peace. So, what the heck am I doing wrong here? My kid is NOT staring mindlessly at the screen like she’s supposed to. She keeps yelling at it, banging on it, asking questions about it. If she asks me to “fix it” one more time, that freaking thing is going out the window! Does anyone have a better idea for getting through two more days of NPO?
 
Sorry. :cry: Is she watching cartoons or playing apps? Have you tried both? What are her interests? Is she still in the hospital?
  • Crayons and coloring book
  • Those watercolor books where the color shows up just by painting with a wet brush
  • Picture books
  • Little toy dolls/my little ponies
  • Practice folding paper airplanes (folding paper skill is good school practice…there are really cute paper folding workbooks)
  • Put a rimmed cookie sheet on her lap for a tray and try different activities… magnetic letters/numbers, colored pom poms, a pile of coins, teddy bear counters, mini cars, etc.
  • Spray shaving cream on the cookie sheet and let her play in it (neatly!) with her hands…kids love it.
  • Cut out paper dolls and assorted clothes
  • Preschool workbooks (my kids actually loved doing these…she might as well?)
Good luck!
 
Last edited:
So, it’s my tablet from work, and I can’t actually download aps on it without an administrative code which won’t be available until August 5th. So, she’s been doing the games and videos on PBS.org. I think the problem is that she has never used it before and so she’s getting frustrated with not understanding all the icons. I was hoping that it would give me a little break from the entertainment industry because my head is beginning to hurt from all the questions, but all the tablet does is cause more questions, most of which I can’t answer! I have to say, the Peg + Cat games are actually really good problem solving and math skills building tools. I might even let her play them when we go home again. But they are complex enough that they require some adult help.

The hospital has already provided her with lots of markers, paint, play-doh, and slime, which I have to keep her from spilling al over the linen. She’s also been given a set of wooden blocks that make up six different puzzles, but they don’t quite fit on the table and I have to keep picking them up off the floor. Grandma sent some adorable puzzles, but again, they don’t fit on the table and the pieces keep getting lost in the bedding and to a 4yo living on sugar water and Tylenol, this is a unspeakable emergency. She spends about 4 to 6 hours a day in a playroom, but I have to be arms length away at all times to prevent her from accidentally tearing out her IV. I guess I was just hoping that the tablet would give me a bit of time to disengage or something. Maybe even take a shower? It’s not working. The most of a rest I’ve gotten is when she’s coloring and frankly that doesn’t hold her interest for more than 20 minutes or so.
The surgeon is coming tomorrow to check on her and I’m hoping he might give us a day of reprieve, since she’s healing so well. Maybe? It could happen, right?
 
Oh, I see…that’s too bad that you can’t download apps on that tablet. Are the nurses not able to help so you can shower and take a break? You must be exhausted. 😱

If I was you, and I had the money, I’d probably go out immediately and buy my own tablet and put lots of easy games and apps on it. Do you have Netflix? Or watch cartoons on YouTube? Anything to give you a break!

I’m assuming you’ve tried showing her how to work the buttons on the tablet but she’s too young to understand?

So sorry you’re so frustrated…but at least she’s healing well…that is great news!
 
Last edited:
We do have youtube on the tablet, so she can watch shows if she remembers not to touch anything once I set it up. There’s also a TV in her room. The nurses can’t really hang out for any length of time, but during the week they do have child life volunteers. Once church is over, my husband will be here, so there’s that.
 
Aaaaaugh! So, apparently skee ball caused her to bust a couple stitches. The surgeons in the hospital tonight don’t think it’s an emergency and her surgeon will see her in the morning. I’m so tired!
 
They took her off NPO today. This girl has never eaten so quickly in her life! The doctor said the stitch that came out isn’t on the main part of the incision, so it’s okay for now. He’ll check it tomorrow and we’ll possibly go home tomorrow night.
 
@Allegra how is your daughter doing now? Has she healed well? Thinking of you!
 
@allegra I hope you got the rest you desperately needed. Praying fo you.
 
What you’re feeling us really very normal, @Allegra. All of us have some fears about major surgery even when we feel everything is going to be okay.

I’ve had a few surgeries, and I have a few coming up, and I’m a little apprehensive about them even though I feel things will be just fine. I would be so much more apprehensive if it were a child of mine. The main thing is that the surgery went well.

Can you sleep in the hospital with her? Can someone else stay for a bit, so you can shower and rest a little?

God bless you both. I hope this is over soon for both of you and you’re both back home.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for your posts! She’s doing pretty well and she started school on Monday. She’s got a follow up a week from Tuesday and I hope the docs going to say she’s doing great!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top