Ryder & Hernia Surgery

Ryder was diagnosed with a Right Inguinal Hernia a couple of weeks ago. The surgian was really anxious to get it taken care of. After doing a little internet research myself and discovering that this type of hernia can become very painful if not taken care of.

Thursday morning we were off to the hospital.

His appointment wasn't until 8:00 am and then they called and asked us not to come until 8:30. Ryder was screaming in the background for breakfast. He was hungry and wanted to eat now!!! I told the nurse no problem, but I wished it was earlier since he was screaming for breakfast. She promptly apologized and had hoped that wasn't him she was hearing in the background. Dave took him for a drive and dropped Rylee off at school.

Upon arrival there was paperwork to be filled out and another wait in the waiting room. The closer we got the more clingy he became. The more the staff tried to talk to him the more clingy he became.

Finally, we were called back. He was weighed & measured and given his room. He promptly looked at the clothes and refused to change. The nurses were so patient with him and turned on cartoons. We played with toys until they brought him his first round of medicine a mixture of Tylonal and Vercede.

It tasted nasty, but we got most of it down him. Then his mood began to change. He started laughing and giggling. I changed his clothes.

Loopy on Vercede & Tylonal....In his full outfit

The hat itches Mom!!

Instead of making him sleepy it made him silly. The doctor soon came to check him out and make his mark. He started marking the right side of his groin. I told the doctor it was the left side of the scrotum that swelled up. He continued to check him over and decided that exploritory surgery was in order first. This way he could make sure the fixed all that needed to be fixed. We then had to wait for them to reset for the added procedure.

We Waited and Waited ... WAITED!!! The nurses brought a wagon for him to ride in. After one trip around the surgical floor he decided he wanted to pull it. We made at least 20 laps before he was worn out. Finally, they came for him. The sleepy doctor came in and decided that Ryder would fall out of the bed. So the nurse promptly picked him up and he started to scream. The doctor promptly replied he will be ok and it is ok to cry. I could hear him screaming all the way to surgery.

Finally, hour and half later the doctor came out and said he was doing fine and in recovery. The hernia was the length of his scrotum. He was glad that we caught it when we did. He is all fixed up. There are no restictions, no bath for 48 hours, and no swimming for 7 days.

They came and got him just before bringing him to post op. I just sat down to read and I could hear "I want my MOMMY" at the top of his lungs. Again, the decided it was better to carry him. He was screaming and yelling for the IV, Pressure Cuff, and Hear Monitor to be removed. He was so drugged up that I couldn't even comfort him. He had to eat something before the stuff could be removed. He refused!!! We had a standoff in progress. They tried removing the equipment and still he wouldn't eat. He threw the popcicle at them, refused the milk, wouldn't look at the graham crackers. Finally, she offered him Oreos. That did the trick. He promptly opened it up and ate the frosting and relaxed.

We were released after the 2nd Oreo. They took him out in the same wagon he had pulled around.

Don't touch my Oreo!!!!

At home he was ready to play. He would sit for awhile and then start playing with his cars. No rest for Mom either. He wanted me by his side always.

He finally passed out at 9:30 and slept through the night. He refused to put a pullup on and slept in his underwear. He stayed dry all night.

Three days later he is doing great. He hasn't slowed down. The only way to tell he is hurting is he slows down and starts favoring his right side. I give him the Tylonal or Motrin and he is back to the races.