Jacob's surgery January 27th, 2010

So I have decided that instead of writing everything I would just post the emails I sent in the past while about Jacob's surgery and the updates I sent. So here goes.

January 26th 5:15 PM (Jacob's surgery)

So I just wanted to fill you all in on Jacob's surgery tomorrow. We are leaving here around 6 to SLC. We are spending the night at the University Guest Suite near the hospital. We are happy to be so close so we don't have far to drive. Surgery is not when we thought that it would be. We have to be at the hospital at 11 am and then surgery is about 12:15. I forgot to ask how long it will be. I will let you know tomorrow how long it should last.

Jacob can't eat after midnight and then no clear liquid after 9:30 in the morning. I am happy he can drink juice in the morning. Once we get to the hospital we meet with the nurses, the anesthesiologist and surgeon. He is considered day surgery so after surgery and recovery they take him to a room in the day surgery area. He is actually never admitted to the hospital. I will spend the night at the hospital with him while Enoch spends the night at the hotel. Somebody has to sleep well so one of us can drive home the next day. I was thinking that he would be released in the later day from the hospital but they said that we should be released around 7:30 in the morning on Thursday. Wow early. I am thinking that Enoch can take us back to the hotel where Jacob can sleep some more and I can shower before we head home. We should be home pretty early in the day it looks like.

Many of you have mentioned fasting for him and we really appreciate that. Those of you that would like to fast on Wednesday for Jacob would be nice. If you are unable to fast your prayers for him would be wonderful. We feel so good about his surgery. He also got a really nice blessing on Sunday from his Grandpa Heileson and Dad. Jacob is very nervous though. He mentioned today that he was scared to do it. We continually talk about what will happen for him and how it will be, it helps his fears a bit but he is still scared. He needs our prayers of comfort today and tomorrow.

I will send updates tomorrow. I will send a quick email once he goes into surgery and after in is out of the recovery room and stable.

You are more than welcome to email us. I can get email on my phone and we will have our computer with us.

Thank you all for your love and support.

Angelene


January 27, 1:04 PM (Surgery)

Jacob is in surgery right now. When we got to the hospital we were taken back to see the nurses to get vitals and changed into a gown. We then went to the surgical waiting room where he played for a bit and then got to make a surgical buddy to take with him. It's a stuffed person with no face and just in a gown. Rachel made one when Jacob was born and in the hospital. He had fun making it. He made it look like Obama. It was so cute. All the nurses loved it. He also got to play the Wii.

He was given medicine to make him loopy. It took about 10 minutes for it to kick in. I have not laughed so hard in a long time. There was a nurse talking to him about the stuff they will use and Jacob was just staring at her in a dazed look. At one point he said he was tired and his head just drooped down fast and he layed in his chair.
When the doctor came in to talk to us we spent half the time laughing at Jacob. His doctor is so awesome. I feel so good having him work on Jacob. We would ask Jacob some questions and he would answer them mumbling and wispering or he would just stare at the doctor in a daze. I filmed it.

Jacob's surgery is supposed to be 3 hours but his Doctor, Dr. Klatts said that he has amazing help and so it should take about 2 hours. They said that they would call us after about an hour and tell us how things are going.
Jacob is getting a blue and orange cast. The doctor said that he would make sure to find those colors for him.

Jacob is going to take a bit to come out of it all when it is over. He will be groggy for a while. They have slurpees for him they have said that he can have after and then later tonight he gets food. He will have his own room with a TV. When he was being wheeled on and loopy he was mumbling that he wanted to play the wii. They said that they would make sure tonight that he could.

We are feeling good. It is strange to think that he is being worked on right now. I sure love him. He was telling us this morning that tomorrow he is excited to walk on the treadmill with Mark. I had to explain to him again that he won't be walking on it for 5 weeks. He is cute. He really thinks that he'll be great after surgery and right a way. I wish that it was that fast.

I want to thank you all for your prayers and fasting. He loved reading all of your emails. He would read them and say how nice they were. We feel so blessed to have such great friends and family supporting us. Thank you for all of your prayers, fasts, and support.

I will send updates when we get them

Love, Angelene and Enoch.

We are going to eat right now but if any of you want to call you are more than welcome to. We don't have details yet so we don't know anything about that but if you want to talk call.

Here is a video of Jacob after they have given him the stuff to make him sleepy before surgery.

January 27, 4:04 PM (Surgery is done:))

Jacob's surgery is all done. It took over 2 1/2 hours for it. The doctor said that everything went really well. The bone was cut and the pins were put in. They also moved tendins in his ankles to help keep his feet in the correct position. I didn't know that they were doing that as well until this morning. Both procedures will help him walk straight and will help him not have as many problems. The doctor gave us xrays of his ankles with the pins in. Pretty cool looking. So we had an appointment set up for 3 weeks from now but the doctor said that he wanted to wait for 4 weeks. We were going to see the doctor at Spina Bifida clinic but he wants us to just come to his office on a Friday get xrays and remove the pins. if things look good after four weeks they might just use a removable cast. They will see how things are in 4 weeks. They might just put hard casts on again. We'll see.

When I got to go back to the post op room he was very groggy and looked as if he was going to cry. He kept waking up when ever somebody talked or moved anything near him. He was happy to see me but I could tell that he was very tired. The nurse said that in surgery he was given stuff to keep him from throwing up twice but when he was in post op he threw up so he was given more stuff. It makes him very sleepy. It is used to help the stomach but also sedate you. He is definitely sedated. He is sleeping now and has not even woken up to see Enoch or when he was moved to a new room he never woke up at all. We are in a small room right now with a TV,VCR and DVD player. When he wakes up I am sure that he will want something to eat and drink. I am thinking he won't be up anytime soon. He hasn't moved at all in the last 20 minutes. When he was in post op they kept trying to have him lay on his back but he would right a way move to his side. They have pillows under his casts and in between his legs. His feet have to be elevated for the next 3-4 days. He should be on pain killers anywhere from a week to two weeks.

He is so cute. He is just sleeping so deeply right now. We have our door open and our room is right next to the nurses station. It is pretty loud in the hall and he has not moved at all. When they came in to get his vitals he didn't move either. He is out. I am happy though because the best thing for him right now is to rest.

I just love this little boy. It is hard to see your kids struggle but it sure makes me happy to know that life will now be a little easier for him and that he'll walk better because of this. What a blessing to live now in life. We are so fortunate medically now.

Thanks again for your wonderful emails. I have loved hearing my phone beep all afternoon and reading all of your emails. You are all so wonderful.

Love,
Angelene and Enoch

He is sleeping with his Obama doll. So funny.



January 27, 6:20 PM (Awake)

Jacob is now a wake. He rolled over about 15 minutes ago and looked at us. Within a few minutes he was talking and sitting up. He is having a Slurpee right now and loving it. He is extremely happy. I am so gald. I was worried that he would be really sad when he woke up. Not at all. the doctor just came in as well and said that things were good and that Jacob looked good. Jacob is so funny. Everybody loves him already. He is always joking with them and he loves the attention.

I can't believe how happy he is. He asked as well if he has only been sleeping for 10 minutes. We told him almost 5 hours and he was shocked. He was sure it had only been 10 minutes.

The doctor will come back in the morning to check on him again.

Our cell phones don't have great reception so if you want to call we can be reached at (801) 662-2855 and then ask for room 18. It goes to the front desk.

Love you all.

Angelene

January 28, 10:04 AM



We are leaving the hospital and heading to the hotel to check out. Jacob is doing

ok. His legs hurt a bit but he seems good.





Angelene

Thursday January 28 8:01 PM

We are driving home. Jacob was doing good till he said his tummy hurt and then threw up all over

himself in the car.  He is all cleaned up now and says he feels good. I sure hope so. It was a lot.  

I am hoping he will sleep the rest of the way home.  He was up at 5:30 this morning asking if it was

time to get up.  He also kept waking up wondering if he could get up and also get his IV out.  He

was sure glad when he got it out before we left.  He has eaten so much too which I am sure doesn’t

help him with his stomach. He went almost 24 hrs without solid food and now can't stop eating. Last

night and this morning when he started eating he went crazy eating everything. 



Jacob loved being in the hospital and like I said before he loved the attention.  He really enjoyed his

Doctor too.  We all really like him. He was so good to Jacob.  When the attending doctor came in this

morning Jacob was sad it wasn't Dr. Klatt.  An hour later his doctor showed up to check on him

as he came into work.  He still had his coat on.  Every time he checked on Jacob he would joke and

say that if his feet didn't look good Jacob's mom would be mad.  He only does what I say.  He's nice. 

He treats everybody great and he jokes around with everybody including the staff.  

I heard many times while in the hospital about how cute and funny Jacob was. Last night he was

watching honey I blew up the kid and he was laughing so hard that the nurses were all laughing. They

said that they never hear kids laughing in the area of the hospital we were in. Most kids cry and we heard

 a lot of it. We had to keep our doors closed most of the time.  Kids came to where we were after surgery and stayed

till they were stable enough to be released or taken to their rooms and were admitted. Kids have a hard time coming out of

anesthesia.  We were the only ones all night in our area except for those that came through for emergency surgeries. 

We didn't hear anything all night.



This morning the nurses said to Dr. Klatt how cute Jacob was and Dr. Klatt right away said that he

just loved Jacob and loved talking and joking with him.   Jacob sure has a sweet spirit and everybody

around him knows it.



I want to thank you all again for your prayers and fast.  When I think about it I get emotional knowing

what you all did for us. I felt such peace yesterday and truly feel blessed. We were watched over greatly

yesterday. I am so grateful to Heavenly Father for taking such good care of us and also my kids who

were home. 



Thank you everybody.



Love,

Angelene





February 3, 4:54 PM



I have been meaning for days now to send an update on how Jacob is doing.  He is doing fantastic. 

He is doing so great that he actually went to half of school today.  I was so impressed that he wanted to go. 



We have really only had a couple of times where he was in pain.  The first night was not the greatest.  He kept saying that

he didn't want any pain killers.  Well about 5 AM he woke up just screaming in pain and with a fever.  He already

doesn't have much feeling in his ankles and so I knew that it was bad when he woke up like that.  We gave him both his pain

killers and Enoch slept with him the rest of the night.  Poor Jacob.  After that I told Jacob that he would take his medicine

when I told him even if he didn't want to take it and didn't have any pain.  He has had a couple of other times at

night when we were getting him ready for bed where he would get the chills and shake.  



He also has been getting nose bleeds in the middle of the night because of his Ibuprofen that he is taking. After this early

mornings bloody nose I have decided that we will stop and give him Tylenol instead.  I am thinking though that he really

doesn't need anything anymore.  He has only been taking anything just before bed and nothing else during the day. 



Jacob has enjoyed being at home because he gets to watch movies all day and play the wii.  He has colored too and done

homework but for the most part he plays the wii.  I think that he has lost millions of brains cells from that. 



I keep asking if he is board and he never says that he is.  I am sure he has  been because Monday he kept saying that he

wanted to go to school.  I was not sure if I was ready for him to go because he still has to have his feet up or his feet start

to turn purple and they swell up.   Today I finally let him go.  He like I said above only went for a half day and will go

half days the rest of the week.  Next week if he is ready he can start going full days.  He has his wheel chair with leg rests

on it so he can keep his feet elevated all day. 



Today when he went to school half way there he decided that he didn't want to go because school was boring.  I told

him that I was sure it was because he was nervous and not board.  I told him to try today out and if he didn't want to go

back then he didn't have too till he was feeling up to it.  Once we got him into the school and near his classroom all the

kids started running out saying "it's Jacob, Jacob's back".  When Jacob went into his classroom they all surrounded him

asking questions, joking with him and helping him get settled.  Jacob is sitting on the side of his desk so he can reach

into his desk to grab stuff.  He has a large clip board that sits on his lap for writing.  All of the kids love to help him. 

They fight over helping him.  I knew then that he was going to like school and be happy.  Today was the 100th day of

school so Jacob was excited to be there to celebrate it. 



After when we were leaving school so many teachers stopped and asked how he was and commented on how he was

such a great kid and example to everybody and that they worried about him and were so happy to see him back so soon. 

His P.E teacher talked to me for 20 minutes about Jacob is the greatest student.  She said that he never complains,

tries everything and runs so hard.  If he falls he gets right back up.  She said that if all of her students were

like him her job would be so easy.  She said that she is always going home and talking to her husband about him.  It made

me feel really special and proud to be his mom.  Jacob is loved by everybody.  He is a great kid. 



We thought that we were going to have to leave him upstairs all the time and that he would lay down all day.  He acutally

isn't too heavy to carry up and down the stairs.  It isn't too bad at all.  He sits up a lot of the day and will also sit in his wheel

chair.  He is same old Jacob but just can't put any weight on his ankles.



Kaelen and Rachel love his wheel chair.  They are always in it.  Kaelen loves to sit in with Rachel and have her wheel it

around or just sit in it and have her push him around.  All the kids have loved the wheel chair.



I am so impressed with how fantastic Jacob is doing and I have your prayers and fasts to thank for that. Now we just need

him to be healed enough that when we go back on the 24th everything is healed enough to take the hard casts off and

put on removable ones on.  If he gets that then he is able to start to put weight on his ankles.   I guess though that if he has

to have the hard cast on again then it is only for a few more weeks and I would rather have him better than hurt himself.

Thank you though for all of your prayers.  We have felt them so much.



We love you all.



Love,

Angelene



Jacob loves phone calls so call anytime.