Surgery Day: 11:02 am

Surgery has officially started. It got pushed back a little because there was another little boy who needed an emergency shunt this morning. Dr. Sood wanted to take care of that first because Dominic's surgery is slated for all day. We were up at 6:00 this morning after a better night's sleep than I expected. I was still up every couple hours and then Dominic woke up at 4:00 hungry. He's wasn't allowed anything to eat or drink after midnight, so I gave him some water in a bottle and that seemed to work. We were in admitting by 7:00 am and up for pre-op by 7:45. Unfortunately, because the surgery was pushed back, we spent a good two hours in the surgical waiting room. I hated just sitting there waiting, but we were able to spend a little more time with him beforehand. Mike's parents along with my parents and brother and sister all met at the hospital this morning. So we sat, chatted, sipped our Biggby's and waited. Finally at 9:30 they came back to get him. Mike and I talked with Dr. Sood and the anaesthesiologist and then had to say our good-byes and watch the nurses carry our precious little baby back to the OR. I didn't cry like I thought I would; neither of us did. I think I was just too overwhelmed with so many emotions that I couldn't even cry because it still hasn't really hit me. The hardest part was to watch him be carried away by the nurses, sucking his little thumb with his half-crooked smile, no idea what he was about to endure. My heart physically hurt as Mike and I walked back out to the waiting room, but for some reason I had no tears.

Since then we have been in the waiting area trying to make time pass. We finally just got the call at 11:02 that surgery started and Dominic was doing well. All his vitals were stable. Between 9:45 and 11:00 they started his two IV's, intubated him, and put him under. Sarah, Dr. Chugani's nurse came down to meet with us, review paperwork and then took us up to the PICU to see where he would be after recovery and for the next couple days.

We have been overwhelmed by all the emails, phone calls, texts and letters we've received dear friends and people we don't even know. This child has more people praying for him than we could have every imagined. It's amazing that such a young life can touch so many people. We can feel everyone's prayers and are filled with peace knowing that God is in control.