Bye bye, TONSILS!

Well, the day finally arrived. Sam was so excited to go and do all the things we have been talking about for (what seems like) FOREVER! He was SO brave.

and we're off!

Aunt Lynn gave him a balloon the night before, and he wanted to bring it...

Mickey got a special bracelet, too!

getting his vitals checked...

Sam got to decorate his mask with stickers and pick what flavor he wanted to inhale when he went to "sleep" - he picked cherry.

taking a little ride before surgery...

This next picture just breaks my heart....Sam experienced "emergence delirium" for an hour and a half "coming out" of surgery in recovery. Thrashing, kicking, screaming, scratching his face and eyes, pulled out his IV 3 times (you get the idea!) - Rich and I, 3 nurses, the surgeon, and anesthesiologist couldn't get him to calm down - he wouldn't open his eyes and was incoherent. Sam is STRONG, and my arms are still sore from trying to restrain him and not get him to hurt himself (or me!). He kept screaming, "Get off of me! Mommy! Daddy! It's hurting me!" We could smell a burnt smell coming out of his mouth (from the surgery) and there was black fluid dripping out of his mouth. They finally had to give him some narcotics to knock him out a couple of times, and after those and time he finally calmed down. He looked up and asked for a lollipop. The nurse ran out of the room down to the gift shop and BOUGHT HIM ONE! He held onto it for the next 7 hours after that. He had scratches all over his face and had a fever of 102 after it all. Worst thing I've ever experienced.
We now know that because of his sleep apnea, as a precautionary measure, they gave him a lower dose of narcotics during his surgery. We also learned that he stopped breathing during surgery (!!!), and levels had to be adjusted more. Because it was a weaker narcotic, they think that had something to do with triggering the delirium - now that we know that about Sam (emergence delirium), if he ever has to have surgery again, they will give him more narcotics after surgery (and this won't be an issue now that sleep apnea is CURED!) to slowly let him "come to" after surgery.

We made it up to our room and he finally could RELAX.

Bless his little heart.

Luke visited!

Max visited!

This totally lifted his spirits!

Papa and Grandma came and gave him this GIANT lollipop which I think he will be working on until he graduates from high school! He just like carrying it around and taking occasional licks.

BUBBLES!

My good friends from chorus (Tia, Jon and Mohammud) came with goodies for Sam and I! Bubbles, balloon, books, DIET COKE...all our favorite things!
So nice of them.

Aunt Lynn came to visit with dinner for mommy and playdough for Sam!
Cheers Aunt Lynn!

Cardon Children's Hospital was THE BEST! We got to be on the pediatric oncologist floor and were treated like royalty. The nurses were so helpful and sweet and Sam was such a good patient for them!

We are now home and recovering! His pain meds make him a little "cooky" (last night he said there were bugs everywhere and in his mouth). He is eating and drinking GREAT and we are getting used to his new voice (the little raspy one is gone, it is now LOUD and froggy sounding!)