After waiting 4 1/2 hours in the pre-op waiting room...Emily finally went into surgery at about 3:30. We anticipated that it was going to be another long surgery since both the Left and Right eyes were being worked on, and we were right. She came out at about 7:15. The valve was implanted in the Right eye and the drainage tube was opened up in the Left. The surgery went well and we hoped to have a short stay in the recovery room. After the first surgery 2 weeks ago, she was very hungry and drank 2 bottles of glucose water and 2 bottles of formula with no problem. This time we think that her throat was much more irritated from the breathing tube because she was refusing to drink and cried every time she tried to swallow. She should have been starving since she hadn't had anything to eat or drink for over 21 hours, but without drinking very much, she would have to be admitted and stay overnight. Eventually we got her to drink some and finally left the hospital at about 9:15. Dr. Kane said the pressure in the left eye was now low, almost too low, so he was hoping it would recover to a safe level by the next day. We brought her in first thing the next morning and the level was ok. Sometimes children with this condition cannot produce fluid fast enough to build the pressure back up, so if it had been too low, he would have had to go back in and inject some synthetic fluid to help. Thankfully that was not the case. We were no longer giving her the oral medication, but would continue to use the eye drops in just the right eye until the drainage tube can be opened.
Post Op Check Up 8/15/08:
The pressure in her left eye was at 20 or just below 20 and the pressure in the right eye was at 24. The day of the surgery, both eyes were at 43, which is very high. The left eye was about where her doctor expected it to be since the tube was opened, but he was surprised at how much lower the right eye was, even without the tube completely opened. He actually said that if the pressure stays at this level or is even slightly lower, he might hold off on opening the tube. We would continue using the eye drops as we had been, and maybe that would be enough for her. In the event that she would need the tube opened, she would have that done on September 9th.
So for that moment, we were relieved and happy that things were going well for her. This is going be a lifetime battle, but hopefully since we are taking steps to correct it now - her vision won't be affected. We are taking one day at a time and we can't do much more than that.
On a side note...while Emily was in surgery a storm was passing by the hospital. No rain fell, but there was a beautiful rainbow just outside the waiting room window. Both of our families had lost loved ones last year and I have to believe that this was their way of letting us know they were watching over Emily and keeping her safe. It made me cry...
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