Surgery Log

7:53 am - OHSU Cafe
We arrived at 6 am to check Magdalena in for surgery. Then we waited at the Pediatric Surgery area for about 30 minutes before getting in to have her vitals checked and meet the anesthesiologists and nurses. Everyone is very friendly, reassuring, and helpful. We saw Dr. Kuang and Dr. Selden as well. Magdalena did not need any medications to calm her down before anesthesia as she does not have any stranger anxiety, and went willingly with the doctors. She seemed pretty hungry by the time we dropped her off (breastmilk till midnight, a little water at 2:30 am), but overall was very cheerful and happy. She's such a trooper.

9:30 am - Pediatric Surgery Waiting Room
We just got our first update from the doctor's assistant. It took a little longer to get Magdalena's IV lines in, but she only has the arterial lines, not a central one (more risky), and did fine with the oxygen mask. Surgery is underway and she is doing great. We should get another update around 11 am.

11 am - Pediatric Surgery Waiting Room
Second update - Dr. Selden is done with his portion, which means that M's skull plates are out and Dr. Kuang is doing the reconstruction portion of the surgery now. The nurse said that Magdalena has gone through the entire first pint of direct donation blood, and is on the second. There is a small chance that she will even need a third, but she said that was not highly likely. We should get another update at 12:30, and hopefully Dr Selden will come out and talk to us too (he is with another patient now).

12:30 pm - Pediatric Surgery Waiting Room
Third update - the reconstruction is done, and Dr. Kuang is now replacing Magdalena's bone. They are using the blood they suctioned from Magdalena now to replace into her own body. We still have not seen Dr. Selden, but the family waiting next to us is also waiting for him, so hopefully he'll come out to give us both updates soon. Apparently (and obviously!) he has a busy day today. The nurse said Magdalena is still doing great, which to me means that the surgeons have been doing great, and all is going well.

12:52 pm - Pediatric Surgery Waiting Room
Dr. Selden just dropped by to tell us that everything went great, no unusual bleeding, etc. He said that he had a very small "nick in the dura" - which is the sac that surrounds the brain and the spinal cord. He said it was just a few millimeters and he was able to sew it up very quickly - nothing to worry about, very routine, and should cause no issues. He said that if it was a problem, it would show as spinal fluid pooling in the scalp, but he sounded like he didn't think that would happen, and it has never happened to him. Also, he said that Dr. Kuang's reconstruction is "beautiful," and they will tell us more about the entire surgery later.

1:48 pm - Doernbecher Lobby
We received a call from the nurse as we were walking back from grabbing lunch at the Tuesday OHSU Farmer's Market. Dr Kuang will be done within an hour and will be coming out to talk with us then. More to come, but the nurse said Magdalena is doing great. If what they told us this morning still stands, she will probably sleep for up to an hour after the surgery, at which time they'll stabilize her pain then let us come see her.

2:25 pm - Pediatric Surgery Confidentiality Room
Dr. Kuang just left after meeting us in the doctor/patient confidentiality room to tell us that all went well, and surgery is over. Magdalena is being taken for her post-operative CT scan, then will be allowed to come out of anesthesia, though she may sleep for a while still. She took both units of blood from our wonderful donors (THANK YOU AGAIN - especially JH who stepped up at the last last minute after one of the other donors got sick the day she was supposed to donate) - as well as 105 ccs of her own blood that they recovered during surgery. The doctor said that they over-compensated her forehead on the side that used to be flat - purposely so the brain will grow out there and it will end up even with the other side. Also, her eyes are lifted at the edges a bit, she said, which is necessary to keep all the reconstructive biodegradable material in place during recovery. Dr. Kuang said that everything went as expected, and Magdalena did great. We are so relieved, can't wait to see Magdalena, and breathed a prayer of thanks as the doctor left the room. Now it is onto the recovery phase!!!

Thank you again to everyone for your continued prayers and support - we will be posting pictures over the next few days to show the outcome and recovery.