Sam's Surgery and Recovery

Sam with his club (I mean cast... LOL)!

Doing one of his FAVORITE things... closing doors!

Sitting on his spiderman couch with his blanket while eating goldfish

Let me start first by thanking all of you for the prayers, cards, phone calls, and emails concerning Sam's surgery to remove his extra thumb. The thumb was removed Tuesday, April 1, at Children's Hospital by a Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon. The surgery was very successful and in fact it was not as extensive as we originally thought. The doctor did not have to put a pin in the bone because there was not much reconstructive surgery. She said Sam would have a small scar where the thumb had been. Even though the surgery was on the hand, they put a cast up to the elbow so the main thumb cannot move. This cast is HUGE... and he has already whacked us and himself with it several time (not on purpose). We keep a sock on it to make it softer. Sam adapted immediately to the cast. We told him he is very special because not everyone has a cast on their arm. Sam did great the day of the surgery. We could not give him anything to eat or drink and we had to wake him up early for the journey to Birmingham. After we were there one hour we were pleasantly surprised when his "Mimi" showed up at our room!! Thank you Mimi for coming up to stay with us during this difficult time!!! We will never forget your kindness, thoughtfulness and love for us!!! His surgery was delayed by about two hours but Sam played and took a nap... he was hardly fussy at all. Before they took him into surgery they gave him some "giggle juice" to take off the edge. We wish we had Sam on tape while he was "under the influence".... it was hilarious!! The doctors came in and gave us updates. Everyone at Children's Hospital was so very nice. After recovery they carried him back into our room and he was very alert at first, then drifted back off to sleep (after drinking lots of water). We left the hospital at 5pm and got home around 6:30. Sam was very hungry and ate his fill of mashed potatoes and mac and cheese. He went to bed at the ususal time of 8pm and slept through the night without a peep. He is so funny because you ask him to show his arm to someone and he raises the arm that does not have the cast! He is such a trooper and has proven to us once again that he is a survivor and a fighter. Most importantly he rolls with the flow and makes the best of any situation.