2-22-11

Sorry for the patchy internet, we couldn't get a connection for the past few days!  On Tuesday poor Carly wasn't feeling too great so she stayed back at the hotel to catch soom Zzzzs with Amanda.  I went off to the hospital where I spent the morning in the OR watching and bouncing between the 5 operating tables asking questions and listening in.  It was a great experience, and it was very exciting to watch.  After lunch I hung out with the kids in the child life playroom and put together tons of puzzles with some new friends in pre-op.  One girl was named Srey ne and she was 17 as well.  When it was her turn to come to the playroom before surgery we connected and she was telling me repeatedly that she was nervous, along with another puzzle friend named Meng Zhung.  Poor Meng Zhung didn't have a parent to be with before her cleft lip surgery, so I told her that I would walk her to the OR.  She grabbed my hand on the way and didn't let go until she was out cold on the operating table.  Her surgery looks amazing.  Srey ne needed some friendship as well, and I met her in the OR in the local anesthesia area where she wouldn't be put fully to sleep but just numbed.  She held my hands with both of hers and I was tearing up during her whole nose revision because of how nervous she was with her movement and noises.  With tears streaking down her face and our hands still intertwined we walked to recovery and then later to post-op where she lai down to sleep.  The next morning when I greeted her she gave me her earrings because she had made fun of me the day before for not wearing any even though I had them pierced.  It was a simple gesture, but it completely filled up my whole heart.  That night Carly was feeling better and we all went out to dinner at a trendy place named the Metro.