Surgery for Carson

Yesterday (July 17), Carson finally had his birthmark removed from above his right ear. Thursday afternoon, Carson, Christian and I took off for Billings. He had to be to the surgery center at 6:15 Friday morning. Having to travel 1.5 hours to get to Billings, we opted to go up and stay the night before. We did some shopping for flooring for the basement, found some new shoes for school for Carson and ate dinner at Texas Roadhouse before calling it a night. Christian gave him a blessing before we went to bed to help calm his nerves.

 

Carson requested that we go to the new Scheels to look around. He and Christian went and took some pictures in the boats while I was lost in the store looking for them!

Grandma and Grandpa Foulger watched the two other boys while we were gone. Grandma came to pick up the boys and brought Carson a quick recovery bag full of things to do while he is recovering.

 We got up at 5 Saturday morning and got ready to head up the to the Surgery Center. We checked in and a few minutes later we were headed back to pre op. They took his vitals and talked to him about getting an IV put in. They asked him if he was going to be up for that and he said he wasn't. After the nurse left, we talked to him about it and he realized it was something that he could do. We talked to his plastic surgeon and the anesthesiologist (who had to poke him a few times in order to get his IV in) and watched a little tv before it was time for his to head back for his surgery.

His before pictures of the birthmark.

A nervous Carson watching some tv before they took him back.

 

The surgery lasted about an hour. The Dr. said that he was able to remove it all (there was a chance that he would only be able to do half and then we would have to come back again) and that because part of it was wider, had to make an incision up so that the skin wouldn't bunch as it healed. He also told us that he did a layer of dissolvable stiches under the skin and ended up having to do stitches on the outside also. Originally, he had told us that he would most likely just get to use glue on the surface.

After he woke up from anesthesia, they brought us back so we could see him. He was super sleepy and really cold! We were a little disappointed that he didn't talk about purple unicorns or something funny like that, but mostly, I was just happy he wasn't super sad when he came out of it. The nurse brought him a popsicle and he sucked on for just a few minutes and then he decided to just sleep for a while. We filled out our discharge papers and were headed home by 9:45. Before we went to Billings, he had said he wanted to eat at KFC. With all the good/fun places to eat, we talked him into eating there for lunch after his surgery. When we were done before 10, we knew he wouldn't be ready for KFC so we were going to pick it up for him and take it home to eat later, but it wasn't open! Christian told him that when we came back in two weeks to have the stitches taken out, we could eat there.

 

So happy to see this guy after an hour of surgery!

One tired Carson attempting to eat a popsicle.

 

They gave him this little stuffed ram (it's their mascot, I guess), a certificate, and a backpack that included a coloring book, crayons, stickers and a few other little things.

 

We pretty much layed low the rest of the day. He didn't complain about pain at all, but said it was kind of numb by his eye. Grandpa and Grandma Asay stopped by later in the afternoon and brought him some balloons and treats! One of his other friends, Carter L., stopped by also and brought him a card and some punching balloons.

 

Before bed, we took down the bandage to look at the incision and put some ointment on it that we are supposed to apply twice a day. We were all surprised at the size of the incision. I guess we were thinking it would just be the long line by his ear and not the big L one also. I'm just glad that we went to a plastic surgeon and hope it scars well! He was definitely a rock star through the whole thing and I'm so proud of him! He gets a little emotional when we talk about it, but he's getting better! Here's to a speedy recovery!

We told him that he looked like Frankenstein and that chicks dig scars!