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07-8-2008 - Ashton's tumour Part 3

My mood while writing this blog: scared

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So, we went home at the weekend, apart from returning at night to keep Ashton's bed open. His CT was booked for Monday, (the 7^th). He had the CT this time, with no delays, at 11am. It was so hard to let him go with the anaesthetist and nurse, but I knew he was in good hands. Jason and I waited in the coffee lounge and tried not to worry too much. Someone came up to us about 45 mins later and said Ashton's CT was completed and we could see him. We followed his crib to Recovery. He looked so fragile and cute in his crib, with the lines going through him. But at least I was able to breast feed him again, which he started slowly, but soon got the hang of it again. He was able to leave Recovery after 30 mins, and they called a Porter to take him back to the ward.

He did not seem to have any ill effects from the GA, and breastfeeding carried on as normal. His operation was due for the next day. His doctor's came round that evening and said everything should go ahead as planned, unless there are no ICU beds. His anaesthetist also came round and asked us a few questions, and we asked him a few questions. We were happy with the answers, and felt confident that Ashton was in excellent hands.

It was a sleepless night for me that night in the sofa bed next to Ashton, I could not stop thinking about his operation the next day.

Jason came in first thing the next morning, and Ashton was NBM from 6am, his operation was due at 1pm. However, Dr Shun and his Registrar came to see us at 11.30am and explained that there were no NICU beds so his operation had been cancelled, it was rebooked for the next day. Dr Shun explained he was very sorry, but he would put off someone's operation tomorrow so he could do Ashton tomorrow. I was able to breastfeed again, and we took Ashton home again for a few hours, only to return that night.

On the Wednesday we were told that his operation was booked for 1pm, but they said he could have his last breasfeed at 11am – I thought that 2 hours was not enough time to be NBM but the nurses seemed to know what they were doing. I bumped into Dr Shun in the Entrance Hall of the hospital, as me and Jason were walking Ashton around the grounds – he said he would be calling for Ashton very soon. I was worried as I had only fed him 30 mins ago (as instructed by the nurses), but again assumed the doctor's were communicating with the nurses. However, when they called for Ashton we explained when his last feed was – the doctor's were annoyed as they said his last feed should have been earlier. The nurses seemed embarrassed. I was a bit angry as I was worried this would delay his operation again. Dr Shun said he would operate at 3pm instead, however, which was a relief.

When we took Ashton up to theatre, I tried not to think about the operation and what was going to happen to him – I feared I would have a nervous breakdown if I thought about it too much, about the tubes he would have, and the large incision they would make. All I could think about was the fact they were getting rid of the big, ugly tumour that was hindering Ashton's development. When they took him to be sedated, I could barely look at him in the crib, I just walked fast out of the theatre reception, with Jason, and the empty stroller.

The next few hours were probably the hardest of my life. Me and Jason decided to leave the hospital as we felt we would go crazy thinking about the operation – we decided the best thing for us would be to leave the grounds, and go home for a few hours, which we did. We received regular phone calls with updates from the surgeons telling us how it was all going – which was a real relief. We returned to the hospital a few hours later, and headed straight to Recovery. It was now 9pm. We were told he wasn't in Recovery, but that he would be taken to NICU. The surgical registrar came to speak to us in the waiting room first. He explained the operation, what they had done, and even showed Jason pictures of the tumour on his digital camera (I couldn't look).

The operation was a success! They managed to remove the entire tumour, which weighed almost 1kg! - wow, no wonder Ashton had problems breathing.. they also repaired the hernia, and hydrocele to R testicle. He said that a few 'deposits' had been left behind as they did not have the time to remove them all, which may cause irritiation in months/years to come – that would need to be kept an eye on.

We went to see Ashton in NICU. It was very hard seeing him on ventilation, with what seemed a million tubes and lines. He had a catheter, Arterial line, Central Line, Venous Lines, a naso-gastic tube, and the largest, a ventilation tube in his nose. He was unrecognisable, it was hard to believe that this was our baby. He was on a big bed, but was swaddled, he looked peaceful as he was sedated with morphine and a sedative. We held his hands, stroked his hair and spoke to him. It was so hard, but we did not break down as we knew we had to be strong for him. The doctor's and nurses in the PICU were excellent, and very competent – they really made us feel comfortable that Ashton was in the best possible hands.

I slept in the parent's hostel, which was in the same wing of the hospital, down a flight of stairs. Jason again had to go home.

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1 Comments on Ashton's tumour Part 3


lisatek82 - Friday, 8 Aug
I am so glad to hear that everything went well. I know how hard it is seeing them with all the tubes and the vent. Spencer was on all that for a week in the NICU and it broke my heart. Just remember to be positive and pretty soon all this will be in the past. You will have your beautiful healthy boy in your arms.