Beware the ides of March! That’s good advice if you’re a Roman Emperor or an area of cortical dysplasia because there are sharp things coming right at you to take you out!
Of course, things always work smoothly and on-time in our nation’s capital, right? Anyone who has flown into Reagan National (DCA) or Dulles (IAD) can tell you, the airspace round the capital is congested and getting racked, packed, and stacked is a fact of life. Well, you’ve just described the holding pattern circling above Children’s operating suites as well.
So when I arrived on scene half an hour before surgery was due to start (1100 hours), we found out that surprise, surprise…the pattern was completely full and we’d have to circle a bit before landing. But that’s OK…that gave Mommy a chance to catch a much-needed cat nap and me to hold him for quite a while.
Of course, Alexander hadn’t really had anything to eat since 0230 this morning (apparently surgery and a full stomach don’t mix!) so you can just imagine how much he was loving the delay. Yeah…right unhappy and that pacifier just wasn’t pacifying our little boy.
After circling for about an hour and a half, he was cleared for landing to the operating suite down one floor and it took us twenty minutes to navigate the rabbit warren that is this (or any other, for that matter) hospital. Initially, there was a bit of confusion as to where he was going but we did manage to get to a holding room where we could hold and kiss him one more time before it was his time to star in his own special episode of ER.
Time on the clock: 12:20 PM.
After Alexander went off with the gas passers (ha ha!), we had a decision to make as far as making some of the removed tissue available to a researcher at Harvard who is trying to discover why the neurons get stopped in their migration to the outer part of the brain and then back in again. Because Alexander is a unique case, his tissue may be of particular interest in this research and who knows, he might well help other little ones who have his same condition.
Time on the clock: 14:32 PM.
The IV lines have been placed:
- An arterial line for monitoring his hemodynamics
- A central line for fluids, medications, blood draws.
- A peripheral IV is used for blood administration.
It took longer than anticipated because Alexander has been a pincushion. But they’re there now and the incision has been made round the top of his head where they plan to go through the skull to get at the dysplasia. Alexander is reported in excellent condition.
Time on the clock: 15:39 PM.
The surgeons have reached the brain and are starting to go after the dysplasia. Alexander is still reported in excellent condition.
Time on the clock: 17:02 PM.
Closing the incision has begun and the lesion is out. Alexander is still reported in excellent condition.
Time on the clock: 18:12 PM.
Surgery is done and Alexander is on his way back up to the PICU to recover. He is intubated and probably will be through the evening as he should be very sleepy but that tube can come out if decides to get active. There will be a lot of swelling on the right side and the right eye might swell shut but that should be finished in seven-to-ten days. Dr Bruce is confident that he’s gotten all of the focal area and didn’t touch the motor strip which is very good news. There are some other areas that might prove problematic later on but electrically that isn’t indicated at this time.
Total time: 05:52:46.890.
