Surgery details, feedings, more guests

Below, I describe the two procedures which will be done to Loki during his surgery on Wednesday in San Francisco. I warn you that the details are a bit icky.

But first, a note on feeding. It seems to us that Loki's feedings are actually getting more difficult. When we feed him, Loki gets quite upset, squirming and grunting. This contributes to his feeding taking so long: about an hour to and hour and a quarter each time. This, and some other symptoms, lead us to believe that Loki has gastroesophageal reflux. We'll discuss this with his regular pediatrician next week. There is a chance this is related to his hernia, so perhaps things will change after the surgery. Otherwise, one thing at a time...

Mom's mom ("Oma Heleen") and step-father ("Opa Frits") have arrived in the US. Of course, they are very excited to see the little man, whom they last say soon after he was first born. But first, they are visiting relatives of Opa nearby. Part of the reason for this is to be sure they aren't bringing any germs. The last thing we need is for Loki to get sick right before his surgery. They will be here for quite some time, regardless.

On to the details: As I described at the time, when Loki's ureter (the tube from the kidney to the bladder) was repaired, a stent was left in. A stent is a device that keeps his ureter from collapsing as it heals, by providing some structure and support. Now that the ureter is healed, the stent must come out. Of course, if it were to come out the same way it went in - through the wall of the ureter- then the ureter would need to heal again, requiring a stent. What to do?

The solution is to use a wire to go into the penis (ouch ouch ouch), through the bladder, and up the ureter. The stent will be grabbed and pulled out (ouch ouch ouch). Needless to say, Loki will be unconscious as this occurs.

Meanwhile, as I have also described before, Loki has an inguinal hernia. In this, the bottom of the abdominal wall has ripped, allowing some intestines to slip into the scrotum. This is common in preemies, as their bodies are not prepared for gravity without the support of amniotic fluid. In Loki's case, his hernia is big. How big? Click here if you want to see a photo of my son's genitals. (He will thank me for this when he is a teenager.)

During the surgery, an incision is made on each side of his scrotum. The intestines are pushed back into the abdomen, and an artificial net is sewn into the abdominal wall to keep everything up where is should be.

When we last spoke with the doctors, they gave the impression that these surgeries were relatively routine. The greatest risk is a complication from the anaesthetic. We were told that Loki will probably only stay at the hospital 24 hours after the surgery.

What is strange is that, despite having Loki in the hospital for so long, it is now rather disturbing to imagine him in a hospital bed, connected to lots of wires and tubes. We've become quite adjusted to having him in our home, as tiring as that may be.