Open Heart Surgery

It's been a touchy day around our house this morning.  We haven't really experienced anything like this before.   When a loved one has to go into surgery.  The hardest part is that my mom wasn't here for us.  I guess that is one of the difficult things about having parents who are serving a mision for the church.  They are pretty dedicated to their service and aren't able to fly home for events like this. Even an event as significant as Open Heart Surgery.

The inspiring thing today was watching my kids rally around me and support each other.  I didn't expect them to face this so young.  At only three years old this is a lot to try to understand.

In a year or so, when JT is done with his schooling, he will be able to perform these types of surgeries with his new skills.  I think we can all take comfort in that.  And I look forward to the day when this is his responsibility.

But for now, with my Mom on her mission, and JT still in school, it all came down to me.


The Patient: our beloved (though often stinky and dirty) "Boom Boom".  Macie's Best Friend since birth.

 As you can see, he has been in pretty bad shape.  Besides the stains (and yes, he has always been Gray- he isn't that dirty!) and the noticeably saggy bottom ( let's be honest, it happens to all of us with age and wear) there are three large holes in his chest.

 You can see that the poor patient has a hole in his back making it an even more serious case when you see how easy it is to stick a finger through his chest cavity.

Like I said, I was on my own.  No support.  No one with experience in these types of situations.  Just me and my kids and a needle and thread.

I have seen enough of Gray's Anatomy to know that Family is not normally allowed in the OR for surgery.  But how could I send Macie and Blake away?  After all, Macie needs to be stroking his tiny tail between her fingers for comfort.  So with needle and thread, a child on my lap tugging on his lifeless tail, I held the patient, Boom Boom, in my hands and I went to work.


After what felt like hours in the OR (stitching 6 holes front and back) he woke up in recovery in the loving arms of his best friend Macie.

"Now you can grow big like me and start walking and talking Boom Boom!"  Macie exclaimed as she snuggled the mangled stitched up mess of her Kitty.

I didn't have it in me to explain to her that even stitched up (and maybe run through the wash on Delicate- since my stitches won't hold up to Normal Wash) Boom Boom may never be the same again.  And most likely won't grow up to live a normal life and walk and talk like her.  I guess I am just not the surgeon they needed me to be.

Hopefully this repair will last until my Mom (the real stuffed animal surgeon) gets home from her mission, or until JT perfects his suturing technique (preferably on someone else before we make Boom Boom go back under the needle).

Thanks for all of your love and good thoughts as we went through this trial.  Boom Boom promises to take a bath to show his gratitude.