Surgery Pictures

Here is Children's Hospital in Birmingham, in the UAB medical district.

Owen played in the one-day surgery waiting room before we were called back. He was so excited. The poor thing didn't have a clue how bad his "throat ouchie" was going to be.
The interning anesthetist went over Owen's medical history and made friends with Owen. He appeared to have a heart for kids.
Owen got to drive a car while we were waiting for the call from the operating room. His new Paw Paw bear got a ride too. Paw Paw W. gave him the bear before we left Atmore.

Still waiting...and listening to Daddy's iPod. Bless us all, Owen got a dose of Versed before he had to go to surgery. After that took effect, he couldn't have cared less about being carried away from Mom and Dad by a total stranger.
This was the morning after his surgery, in the Special Care Unit, right before we got moved to his room on the 5th floor. Jason had spent the night in that chair, getting zero sleep. I had spent the night at the hotel room with Jack and got nearly 5 hours.
We had a nice visit from Lisa, who was up in Birmingham for her job as a legmaker!
Owen still wasn't too excited about life.
Not totally excited about drinking, either, but wanted to take a little walk down the hall. Fortunately for us all, Owen doesn't care about the color of his cup---yet.

He felt a little better after a sponge bath and real pajamas, and was ready to cuddle with Jack.
And then he found the bed controls.
The next day, our nurse Ms. Beth saline locked his IV, and we got to take a wagon ride over to the Children's Harbor, which is an absolutely awesome building across the street with all sorts of games and activities for parents and children. It even had a basketball court and an exercise room, and nap rooms, showers and laundry facilities for parents.
Owen tired out quickly, and wanted to come back and play Clifford and Elmo on Daddy's computer.

Jack got lots and lots of Grandma time.

Owen's fire jammies were an absolute hit with the hospital staff. They spread the word amongst themselves about "that cute little boy with the fire pajamas." One CA stuck her head in to check Owen, and then laughingly told me she wanted me to make her husband a pair of fire jammies.

Our nurse Ms. Quinita, who worked the 3-11 shift, was outstanding. She even went so far as to bring Owen his very own stethoscope, because he kept asking her to "hear my heart."

One last Owen-requested heart check by his nurse Ms. Beth on the day of discharge. We loved Beth--she had a little 3-year-old boy named Evan and a 9-month-old girl named Emma.
All loaded up and ready to go home. Guess who slept 90% of the way back to Atmore?