We got a date for Nikhil’s surgery to be May 2nd 2013. We knew we are going to need help then and had our parents make plans to visit us for 2 months at least. My mom came in April followed by Salil’s dad. We would not have been able to go through this if it was not for their support and hard work. They stood by us every moment, through all highs and lows. We are so grateful for their love and support.
Salil’s dad was not keen on the surgery first and we were still going back and forth with what to do. Nikhil was a perfectly healthy, happy baby so what was the need to make him go through this procedure, especially because it was so close to the brain. His concerns were genuine and he wanted to be sure that we are making an informed choice for our son. Honestly, we were going a bit crazy at that point. It was a difficult decision because it wasn’t a do or die situation and we were given a choice to simply walk away. I knew in my heart he needed it but I didn’t want him to go through the surgery.
Salil & I decided not to talk about it till our next appointment with the plastic surgeon - Dr. Courtemanche. We met with him the same month and his opinion was in line with Dr. Cochrane’s. But this meeting was a lot different from the first. Dr Courtemance from what we had heard, is very talented and one of the best plastic surgeons in the country. He has done hundreds of such operations, so for him, this was just like any other surgery.
He explained in detail how the procedure would be and he did that so casually as if taking a walk in the park ! On the other hand we were just terrified. It involved cutting his scalp from ear to ear in a zig zag incision, and then getting an access to the skull plates. Then he would cut the plates located behind his forehead and cut a strip of bone right behind his eyebrows and arrange them so it restructures his skull properly. And in the end he would have a nice new head! I think that's exactly what he said,"new head". I wasn't amused at all. I was relieved our parents did not have to hear any of this. There would not have been any surgery otherwise!
He told us about the risks associated with this surgery. Given Nikhil's age, he would most likely need a blood transfusion. They would perform 2 procedures - FOA and CVR. He would be in the hospital for 4-5 days. We asked a few more questions, thanked him and left.
After the meeting, my head was spinning. It was too much to take in. But in the end, all that I took away is the confidence he showed in himself. His way of talking was a little peculiar but i trusted him. We thought Nikhil would be in good hands with this team of doctors and wanted him to fix the problem. On our way back salil and I talked a lot. At that point I think there was no turning back. We were going ahead with it.
The weeks leading up to his surgery were filled with emotion. I was counting days and even hours as the date got closer. I prayed a lot and I am sure everyone around me did too. I don’t think I have ever wanted anything more in my life than to see Nikhil come out of the surgery safe and totally well.
After a lot of reading and researching on the internet, we knew what was coming and how his condition will be for the first 3-4 days; the big incision that will run across his head, the swelling and everything else. We all were so scared and so worried, but my little baby was totally unaware of all this. He was still crawling in a funny hopping manner, smiling and playing with no worry in his eyes. We just tried hard not to think too much about the surgery and to keep a happy cheerful environment for both kids.
On May 1st, we had his pre-op appointment which included meeting with the staff of the surgical department, getting his blood work done and understanding the procedure for the big day. A simple task like drawing blood from a baby’s vein is three times as challenging as getting it from an adult. They couldn’t find his vein in the first or the second or the third attempt. And they tried again till they finally got it. I tried hard not to shout at the nurse for being so incompetent. But my mom & I were really upset at that point. Nikhil cried a lot and I just held him tightly to my chest & prayed for tomorrow to not come at all !
(Story continues on: 04_first surgery)
Salil’s dad was not keen on the surgery first and we were still going back and forth with what to do. Nikhil was a perfectly healthy, happy baby so what was the need to make him go through this procedure, especially because it was so close to the brain. His concerns were genuine and he wanted to be sure that we are making an informed choice for our son. Honestly, we were going a bit crazy at that point. It was a difficult decision because it wasn’t a do or die situation and we were given a choice to simply walk away. I knew in my heart he needed it but I didn’t want him to go through the surgery.
Salil & I decided not to talk about it till our next appointment with the plastic surgeon - Dr. Courtemanche. We met with him the same month and his opinion was in line with Dr. Cochrane’s. But this meeting was a lot different from the first. Dr Courtemance from what we had heard, is very talented and one of the best plastic surgeons in the country. He has done hundreds of such operations, so for him, this was just like any other surgery.
He explained in detail how the procedure would be and he did that so casually as if taking a walk in the park ! On the other hand we were just terrified. It involved cutting his scalp from ear to ear in a zig zag incision, and then getting an access to the skull plates. Then he would cut the plates located behind his forehead and cut a strip of bone right behind his eyebrows and arrange them so it restructures his skull properly. And in the end he would have a nice new head! I think that's exactly what he said,"new head". I wasn't amused at all. I was relieved our parents did not have to hear any of this. There would not have been any surgery otherwise!
He told us about the risks associated with this surgery. Given Nikhil's age, he would most likely need a blood transfusion. They would perform 2 procedures - FOA and CVR. He would be in the hospital for 4-5 days. We asked a few more questions, thanked him and left.
After the meeting, my head was spinning. It was too much to take in. But in the end, all that I took away is the confidence he showed in himself. His way of talking was a little peculiar but i trusted him. We thought Nikhil would be in good hands with this team of doctors and wanted him to fix the problem. On our way back salil and I talked a lot. At that point I think there was no turning back. We were going ahead with it.
The weeks leading up to his surgery were filled with emotion. I was counting days and even hours as the date got closer. I prayed a lot and I am sure everyone around me did too. I don’t think I have ever wanted anything more in my life than to see Nikhil come out of the surgery safe and totally well.
After a lot of reading and researching on the internet, we knew what was coming and how his condition will be for the first 3-4 days; the big incision that will run across his head, the swelling and everything else. We all were so scared and so worried, but my little baby was totally unaware of all this. He was still crawling in a funny hopping manner, smiling and playing with no worry in his eyes. We just tried hard not to think too much about the surgery and to keep a happy cheerful environment for both kids.
On May 1st, we had his pre-op appointment which included meeting with the staff of the surgical department, getting his blood work done and understanding the procedure for the big day. A simple task like drawing blood from a baby’s vein is three times as challenging as getting it from an adult. They couldn’t find his vein in the first or the second or the third attempt. And they tried again till they finally got it. I tried hard not to shout at the nurse for being so incompetent. But my mom & I were really upset at that point. Nikhil cried a lot and I just held him tightly to my chest & prayed for tomorrow to not come at all !
(Story continues on: 04_first surgery)