CHLA - Day Two - Part Deux

(Continued from Below)

While I did some work, Jeff was able to get in a power nap and a quick shower. We walked over to Hollywood/Highland center for a quick CPK lunch then we took the train back to the hospital. We checked in with the surgery department around 1p. Ryan was not yet out of surgery. We waited in Ryan's room and got the call to come back down around 2p.

When we arrived, they took us into a consult room where we waited for Dr. Sherman. When he came in, he sat down with a smile on his face and said the surgery went well. All in all, it was about a 4 hour procedure.

Ryan had a blockage in his bowel that was somewhere between the size of an orange and grapefruit (WAY bigger then a 5-month old's bowel should be). While not unexpected, the doctor said that he had to decide whether to remove 6 inches of bowel or give Ryan a temporary colostomy. By removing the 6 inches, the surgeon felt he could achieve a 95% clean procedure. He let us know that the 6 inches was not critical to the function of the large intestine. So basically, they went in through the abdomen, located the obstruction, removed the portion of the colon that was affected by blockage and/or stenosis and attached back to healthy intestine.

The thing he was not able to address were the cysts that showed in the MRI. He did locate one, but felt that trying to remove the cyst created a greater risk than leaving it in. I don't remember all of the verbiage... something about risking muscular function.... Anyways - his recommendation was to re-visit in the next year. He did confirm, though, that the cyst was not attached to the sacrum.

The doctor said that Ryan can start eating once as he starts to pass gas and stool....which we found could take a couple of days. We were then taken back to see Ryan. He never woke up for us. After he was stable, he was wheeled back to his room. I think we got up there about 4:00.

Jeff and I waited for Ryan to come to. With a couple hours since passed, we decided to seize an opportunity to run out to get a quick bite to eat at a little Mexican food joint down the street (Los Burritos - It's awesome!). When we got back, Ryan still had not woken up.

Jeff and i just wanted to see our little guy wake up, focus on us and give us his trademark heart-melting smile. Instead, he would wake up, fuss a bit, then go back to sleep. He did wake up one time very agitated. We all guessed he had some pain (how do you know exactly on a 5-month old?). The nurse provided a booster to the continuous drip of morphine he was already receiving - and that seemed to relax him.

Jeff waited until the last possible moment to leave the hospital. He caught the 11:11 train back to the hotel and was able to get this blog drafted (I've since gone in and made some edits... I get particular about my blog!!)