Getting Prepared -- Originally Published December 8, 2007

We saw the doctor yesterday. Here is the result:

We will have pre-operative antiobiotics to help prevent Michael getting sick again. It will take about a week for Michael's stitches to heal, and after that, Michael can start a bottle. In the meantime, the surgeon will be working with our GI specialist to keep Michael's reflux under control. The good news is that one small upchuck a day is not a big deal (but a small upchuck for every meal is a big deal). AND, Michael can keep his pacifier immediately post-op. (Yay!!!!) He can keep it because it isn't too long and doesn't go far back in his mouth -- the exact reasons why the speech folks do not prefer it. (Oh, the irony.)

He will not be in restraints, per se, but he will be in little arm pads that won't let him bend his elbows and get things into his mouth. This is supposed to last about a week.

We will be going in the hospital on Thursday morning (at about 6:30) for an 8 (or 8:30, I have to look that up) surgery, and we are scheduled to be discharged some time the following day. Discharge (morning or afternoon, or if we have to stay) will depend on how Michael recovers, and the surgeons will make rounds more than once a day if necessary. If we don't get out on Friday, they will discharge over the weekend as appropriate, so we won't be stuck there just because it is the weekend.

I think that about sums up everything from the doctor.

On the pacifier front, we are getting by right now with half a kleenex stuck in the depression, and so far no wetness and no sign that it will easily come out. I think we'll probably move to a small piece of cloth, but so far the idea seems to be working. Thanks to everyone for your suggestions -- if this doesn't work, we'll give some of the other suggestions a try. We got lots of wonderful ideas from y'all, and I am chagrined that we didn't think of some of them ourselves!