Held

Owen finally went into surgery at 12:50.  This was the first time we gave him versed.  He was pretty loopy.  It definitely made it easier.  He didn't fuss at all when the nurse carried him back.   

I ate some lunch, went out and got my overnight stuff from the car, and have now embarked on a blankie hunting mission (remember we lost his blankie last time we were here?)  No luck yet.

Surgery should last a couple of hours.  I'm about to head up to the waiting area for an update. ( they give those on the hour.)

Thanks for praying.  I feel very at ease and "held" right now. weird.  It never gets easier to send your child off to surgery, but for me it is never more clear than in these moments that I do not control my children's destinies.  They areentrusted to Eric and me, but they are in God's hands all the time--not just when they're not in mine.  It is a good reminder for me when I can feel my grip on situations I cannot control getting too tight.  There is no use in worrying.  All I can do is entrust them to His care.  Does that make sense?

Boaz did come and speak with me, ever so briefly.  I pulled him back in several times.  Eccentric is definitely accurate.  too smart for his own good. 

This valve I learned does have a siphon guard feature.  He is confident clogging will not be any more of a problem with this valve than it would be with any other.  At some point I just have to trust that he knows what he's talking about.  After all, he is the neurosurgeon, not me.  But me, the mom, felt okay with it after our discussion.  It is different than the siphon valve he had considered before.  And he made it clear that he agreed that that would have been a poor choice.  "You were right" he said.  So, I know what I said, but I think this is the right thing to do.  I think it is the right valve for the job. 

It has 5 settings:  .5, 1, 1.5, 2, & 2.5.  He is planning on setting it to 2, which is next to the "stiffest" setting.  We should know by tomorrow if that is "too stiff"-- meaning it does not let it drain fast enough and he accumulates fluid.  Then they would put it on 1.5.  He was confident though that 2 would be the perfect number for Owen. 

I asked about magnet toys. since the valve is adjusted externally by magnets I wanted to know if this was a concern.  (as did Dave Odle, bless his heart.  :)  )  Thankfully it is nothing to worry about.  He said you could probably hold a toy right up to it and twist it and it would have no effect.  So the Leap Frog fridge magnets have been spared!!   But it will need to be reset after any MRIs.

Well, there you have it... what's going on down here.  Thanks again for your prayers. 

I am hoping to squeeze in a nap before he comes out.  He had me up quite a while last night.

j