Day 1: over=now we can sleep!...sort of

Confession time,
I don't think Kelli or I slept all that well last night; maybe we had something on our minds?

Day one recap:

Papa Gene picked us up at 5:38 a.m. We got to the hospital, got checked in, and then Sam and I played in the waiting room while we waited to be called back to our "special" waiting room. They called us back and Sam was weighed and had all of his vitals taken.

We then met with various, amazing medical people from CMH, including Dr. Singhal. They gave Sam a little medicine to "take the edge off", and he got goofy! He informed Mom and Dad that he was feeling "Yoopy." For those of you that don't know, Sam pronounces his L's as Y's.

He was wheeled off in a very cool wagon (by his Aunt Jenny, who happens to be a nurse at CMH-which makes saying goodbye so much easier) a little after 8-am. We all then waited in the waiting room for several hours. We had several visitors, and several who stayed the whole time.

The nursing staff did an amazing job of keeping us updated every hour or so. Actually, it was an old friend from Kelli's school that was our main updater.

The first incision was made at 9:15am and at 2:15pm we were informed that they were closing him up and that Dr. Singhal would be down shortly to visit with Kelli and I.

Dr. Singhal was very happy, upbeat, and all smiles as he reported that he was able to accomplish everything that he wanted to do, plus, as an added surprise; he was able to get rid of Sam's old scar from his 1st surgery.

He said they were able to lower the height of his skull, widen it, round out the back, tip his forehead back a little bit, and round out his forehead as well so that he wasn't so "bossy".

We were able to catch a quick glimpse of him on his way to the PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit). After he got settled in the PICU, we were able to go back and visit. Mom and Gigi Cheryl first (I was out fetching some bags from the car) and then I got to see him. What a sight!

He even woke up a little when I showed up, and asked for some water. He told me that he wanted to hold his sippy cup and after he finished it, he told me that now he wanted, "A yot and yot of yittle bit" (Samspeak for a lot). Paul and Darla Turner stopped by with some dinner and Sam was even up for giving Paul some "Dap"!

Kelli is staying there with Sam in the PICU tonight, we should have a real room tomorrow.

I'm posting only one pic here, but will create an album on both Kelli's and my Facebook sites.

You can also view it here http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=91047&l=64d58&id=747070356

Thanks to all who prayed, visited, and fed us today. It was a long day and we definitely couldn't have made it without you and your prayers.

Hopefully I'll have another update tomorrow.

Until then,
Peace.