Recovery

"Buck" was so happy to see Alex in recovery!

Arm restraints, so little ones don't pull out their IV/feeding tube

Alex did phenomenal during and after surgery! The anesthesiologist was surprised by how well he did and said that his bleeding and swelling was minimal compared to many of the other children that have this procedure.  It was exactly 4.5 hours from the time surgery started to when we were allowed into recovery to see Alex (it would have only taken two hours for the tongue reduction). We met with DeAnn and the anesthesiologist team in the recovery area. I was surprised by how alert Alex was -- he was angry! They did have him on morphine, but they don't completely drug the patients because this can slow their breathing (which of course is a big concern for Alex and others with respiratory issues). 


After about 15 minutes, we were transferred to the PICU.  The rooms are large and have an attached bath and a fold out couch and recliner for parents that want to stay in the room. I'll be staying with Alex until he is discharged. My dad will continue to stay at the Haven House until we return home next week. 



We found out that there is also a Ronald McDonald House on the Mercy Medical Center campus. It was built a little over a year ago, so many of the medical providers here don't think to recommend this as another option for families traveling to St. Louis.  It's much cheaper to stay at this facility, too. Just something to keep in mind for those parents thinking about coming to St. Louis in the future!