Specific answers to prayer

Hey, I forgot to tell everyone how God answered ALL of the specific requests we had from September 18th!

IV site. I had told you that her IV's in the past had been pretty much all in her scalp. So I only expected we'd be lucky if they got a scalp IV, because her veins in her limbs just can't be located. Well, the amazing Dr. B (the anesthesiologist, not one of Mal's mommies) found one on her tummy! Right above her g-button. I couldn't have been more surprised by that, nor more pleased. It was SO much easier to keep safe from being pulled out in that site.

Successful surgery with no problems during or afterward – particularly no respiratory problems. There were NO problems. In fact, when the resident came in the next morning and said he'd be back to check again that afternoon, and planned to discharge her the following morning, I told him she was FINE. We were ready to go home that day!

No pain. She was so comfortable, and didn't really require any IV pain meds after she left the recovery room. And only one nurse held off on her pain med when Mal was having pain (the nurse pointed out that it was 10 minutes early.) Ahem. Let's just say that this silly little moment reminded me that the best place to recover, if there are no respiratory problems, is at home with your family. Mommies and daddies don't seem to quibble over the odd 10 minutes here or there on the day of surgery. OR afterward. :)

No problems with gagging/vomiting. We not only had no issues with these, but we got a cool new "tool" that I'll share in the future, a squirt bottle so we could give her Pedialyte by mouth. We've learned in the past few months that a few cc's of water or Pedialyte to sip will usually stop the gagging right away.

I was realizing this morning that it could look like we just accepted this all, without question. Nothing could be farther from the truth! We took nothing for granted, and stood by in awe as everything fell into place. When Cathy would text for updates, there was simply nothing to tell except that she was doing so well! We were able to remain calm while she was in surgery, and kept trying to read Hannah's literature book and stop reading all the "tween" magazines that Matthew and Hannah talked John into purchasing.