Day after surgery...a little rough

Sorry for not posting. I wasn't available for such things and K needed me. Her surgery yesterday took longer than expected but seemed to go smoothly. It was just very detailed. Dr. S found kaidence's severed nerve leading to the vocal cord and basically spliced it together with a new nerve. This will bulk up that left vocal cord. He isn't sure if the cord was severed during transplant or when they placed access lines in her neck. Either way, it was severed. He then went over to the right vocal chord. This nerve functions but not that well. It too has seen damage from the many breathing tubes she has needed. He decided to cut a square into her voice box and then plug a new nerve into the muscle in her voice box. This little nerve will start to sprout and grow new branches. This will help make that right side stronger.

They gained access by slicing into the front of her neck. She is very sore today and has really been struggling with the pain. This morning they pulled to drain in her neck. Her O2 sats have been a concern. She woke up last night panicked that she couldn't breathe and had been pushing the nurse button over and over but her bed was not plugged in. She NEVER uses the nurse button but was panicking. With the pain, swelling and congestion she is having a hard time coughing and moving all the extra secretions. Last night her sats kept dipping but it has been far worse today. I am thinking the swelling is a big reason for it. She was satting in the 70's but I was able to get her at 90% on 3 liters of O2. That was when she was sleeping. When awake, she still needs some, just not as much. We are doing some RT on her in hopes that this will help with her sats.

Her voice is VERY soft. She isn't talking much and the sign language she learned as a baby is paying off again. Hopefully within the next 24 hours things will start to turn around for her. It's not very often that something knocks this girl down.

Thank you for keeping Kaidence and her doctors in your thoughts and prayers.

In Surgery (Third times the charm)

Kaidence went into surgery at 9am. She was so excited that she couldn't sleep last night. She couldn't wait to "go and see her friends" I asked who her friends were....IV team made the list. Not sure that they have many friends in this place. Abby... you made her list too!

Dr. Smith is doing the nerve on the left side and then will work on the nerves on the right side as well. He is hoping that the nerves on the right side will grow and branch out over time. This will help improve the function of the right vocal chord that is damaged. The left side is completely paralyzed, so he will connect the old nerve with the new nerve from her neck. It may take anywhere from 4-6 months to gain full function. We've waited this long, whats a few more months? The surgery should take a few hours. Its' a tedious one and they just informed me that they are starting the hard part..... whatever that means. The plan is to spend the night in post op.

I just got a call from the OR. Before the nurse told me how things were going she went on to tell me that the moment K went into the OR that they could tell that she was a very special little girl. She said that she was so happy and sweet. She has touched their hearts. She gave her bear bear a mask with gas, laid down and held her bear until she fell asleep. The nurse said they haven't seen a kid with a medical history like hers so happy to be here. She is truly unique.

I wanted to cry as she went to the OR because she was SO HAPPY. She kept turning around and waving at me. That sweet little girl hasn't stopped telling me that she loves me. After sending her into the OR I told Mike that once again I have no doubt that this is all part of Kaidence's earthly journey. Heavenly Father has given her every single thing that she will ever need to fulfill this journey of hers with a happy heart and a spirit that can penetrate the hearts of others.

I will keep you posted.