Zach Update

Surgery went well though it was a long day.  When we arrived to the surgical unit we were told they were running about 2 hours behind.  I mostly felt sorry for Zach since he wasn't able to eat anything.  I had packed a bag fit for a weekend away for a family of 5!  I had snacks, books, my Bible, journal, gum, blanket, phone charger (so I could run down the battery playing Angry Birds). . . . .

Zach is fine and you can't even tell he had surgery.  His eye just looks like he has pink eye or allergies or the like.  He was initially in a lot of pain but Percocet to the rescue, he's feeling better now.  He's mostly been sleeping since we got home last night.

He's experiencing double vision in his eye which the doctor said was normal and should subside within 24 hours.  Pre-surgery his vision was 20/20 and post surgery its now 20/25 and that may or may not go back to 20/20 but like the doctor said, a lot of people's vision is worse than that and they never even had surgery.

I'm home from work today as they wanted Zach under adult supervision for 24 hours post surgery.  I'm not gonna lie --I"m not hating this, mothering my boy again; cooking, administering meds, comforting, feeling needed . . . Tonight I'm making a meal fit for a Prince.

http://newsomejm3.blogspot.com/2009/09/one-that-broke-mold.html

Thank you for your thoughts, prayers and concern.

Surgery Schduled

Surgery for Zach is schedule for tomorrow, July 25, 10:30am.

Thanks for your concern, prayers and support.

Zach's Surgery

Feel free to skim and get the Cliff Notes version --I will give more details than are necessary but I have a few people I know will ask so I'm just going to lay it all out there.

Zach is fine.  The x-rays confirmed what I always suspected --Zach is a bone head.  *ahem*  But in all seriousness . . . .

A week ago while playing basketball Zach got elbowed in the eye.  He was in a lot of pain and kind of disoriented so the coach called Jerry and told him what happened and recommended Zach get checked out by a doctor.  Some friends drove Zach home and then Jerry took him to the ER.  At the time, Amanda and I were off at the movie theater seeing Dancing in the Rain on the big screen (it was fabulous) so of course being the polite movie-goers we are, our phones were turned off so Jerry was not able to reach me.

When Amanda and I got home my motherly instinct kicked in and I immediately knew something was wrong.  I could just tell the way the house was left that the guys left in a hurry.  I called Jerry and when he told me he was in the ER with Zach my first reaction was, "I"m so excited my motherly instincts were right!"  I mean, I was sort of gloating until I realize --uh, my son is in the ER.  They were just about to finish up and Jerry assured me Zach was okay; he just had a mild concussion.  I waited for them to get home and as soon as I saw my boy all in one piece and okay, I went to bed. 

The next day we all resumed normal activities, including Zach.  Later that night I was in my jammies and all ready for bed.  Jerry was also getting ready for bed as Zach was coming in from work.  A short while later Zach was in the bathroom and as soon as I snuggled myself into bed, I heard Zach yell, "DAD!"  Before Jerry and I could even react Zach walked into our room and said, "All I did was blow my nose."  Zach's eye and half of his right side were complete swollen.  It was as if someone blew him up like a balloon --and just a few moments earlier he was completely fine.  I jumped out of bed and grabbed my clothes as I knew we needed to get him back to the ER.  Jerry and I scrambled around to get dressed then off to the ER we went.

Okay so long story short(er), they originally did a CAT scan of his entire head but this ER trip, the doctor wanted to get a closer look at the eye area so that's what they did and it did show the fractures.  We were sent home with a referral to a facial surgeon the following Monday and orders for Zach to keep it low; no jumping, running, swimming, basketball, etc.

The next Monday, meeting with the surgeon we learned Zach's orbital floor was fractured.  There's also another possible fracture to the eye-socket bone but that's not real clear in the CAT scan.  Additionally, there is some nerve damage that is causing numbness around his eye.  The orbital floor (a thin bone between the eye and sinus) will not heal nor will Zach's condition get better without surgery.  He has double vision in that eye when he looks down and also, his eye is set 20% further back because its no longer being supported.  It is not really noticeable when you look at Zach but when the doctor pointed it out to me, I could tell the difference in his right and left eyes.  Also, since his eye sets farther back it causes his eye lid to set down lower.  Again, not really noticeable unless you're specifically looking for it however; if he does not have the surgery it could continue to set back even further.

The good news is, Zach's vision has not been injured/damaged at all.  Actually the eye itself has not been injured at all.  In addition to the surgeon, Zach also saw an ophthalmologist today who was in agreement that Zach needed to have the surgery done but he was also very encouraged that Zach eye/vision had not been damaged.  He said the orbit, bone structure, etc did exactly what is was supposed to do; protect the eye.  The surgery will correct the temporary double vision Zach is experiencing.  The ophthalmologist will see Zach again after surgery.

As far as pain, Zach gets frequent headaches, has weird sensations in his face (were the nerve damage is) and occasionally he said it feels like someone is sticking a pin in his eye.  Overall, the pain is very manageable.  The difficult part for Zach has been KEEPING STILL --and no basketball!

The surgeon will go in and insert a metal plate replacing the broken orbital floor.  The doctor could not see the extent of the second fracture on the CAT scan so once he gets in there and see everything, he might also need to put an additional screw in Zach's skull bone to support the fracture.  The metal plate is permanent and will also be screwed onto Zach skull bone.  We saw a skull model with one on it --it was both really cool and really creepy.  Everything should be back to normal immediately after surgery except for the nerve damage; that may be permanent. There's nothing they can really do to repair it and the doctor said it may or may not restore on its own.

Surgery is scheduled for Wednesday.  It will be out-patient but he will undergo general anesthesia.  Jerry is currently in Georgia for his annual summer visit.  Zach told him he didn't need to come back for surgery so it looks as though Jerry won't be home until next weekend.  I am having a slight pity-party for myself at the thought of sitting all alone in that surgery waiting room for Zach.  Jerry told me if I wanted him home he'd come but he doesn't get to see his family very often so I hate to ask him to cut his visit short.

Below is Zach's x-ray.  The view is as if Zach was laying on his back and you were standing at his feet looking up.  The triangle at the top is his nose.  The black holes on either side of that are his eye sockets --notice how the right side is nice and round and in tact and the left side is smashed in.  Also notice on that side, the swelling where his face is protruding next to his nose.   All of that swelling has now subsided and like I said, you can barely tell just by looking at Zach that anything is wrong.

So that's the story.  I'm allowed to have my phone on will in the waiting area so feel free to text/call if you'd like.  I'm sure I'll be bored and would love the distraction (from the worry).  We'll be at the hospital most of the day.