The Big Day (Birth of a Cyborg)

Today was Lola's surgery for her cochlear implant! We arrived at the hospital at 7:15 a.m. and commenced waiting . . .



Lola prepared herself by reading the pamphlet on her procedure . . .



They finally called us back, took Lola's vital signs and fitted her with a stylish O.R. gown . . .




We then had to amuse ourselves for an hour or two while the surgery before ours finished up . . .





They finally came to dope up our child . . . Valium was administered to reduce separation anxiety; alas, they wouldn't give us any. They took her to the operating room . . .




Lola's on drugs!!!



The nurses then put Lola to sleep and threaded a breathing tube down her throat. Surgery began at 10:15.





WARNING: Blood! These are images from Dr. Severtson's microscope. The first is the implant in her skull and the second is the electrode being threaded into her cochlea.




The bright light is the surgeon's light shining off the implant!



Our audiologist Dr. Windmill prepares to test the electrode.



Luckily for Susan, Project Runway was on cable in the waiting room.



We then met with our audiologist who had some good news and some bad news. The good news was that they tested the implant and her brain's response to it, and the results were perfect! The bad news was that the surgeon decided that he didn't like the position of the implant, so he had to go back in and move it. A couple hours later, they brought her to us. She was still asleep and extremely puffy from all the fluids they had pumped into her. Her cheek was bruised from the pins they had inserted to mark her facial nerve.





They gave us the hair they shaved off, because technically it was Lola's first haircut!



Susan took this opportunity to trim Lola's fingernails . . .



While our daughter recovered from surgery, we ate Slushees . . .



After about an hour, Lola began to wake up. And boy, was she unhappy!





We went home shortly after they took her IVs out and she nursed for awhile. Altogether, we spent almost ten hours at the hospital! That night was pretty rough, with Lola waking often and crying alot. But the next morning, she was back to her old self! We wait for about 3-4 weeks for the incision to heal and then our audiologist will attach the external equipment and turn it on. What a day that will be! Check back often for further updates.