Nathaniel was discharged from the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and went straight to the cast room. We missed our previous scheduled 7:00 am appointment to get his cast removed and pins extracted, but the hand surgery team squeezed us in when we got there. I just wanted to be done. To come home knowing Nathaniel and I would not have to go back in a couple days. Not have to face the waiting room apprehension. Not have to open just scabbed over wounds of fear.

Hand surgery is behind us. Probably by the time I finish writing and uploading this post, the first three days post surgery will be also be behind us. Three days is the length of time I hear hand surgery pain is the most intense. Managing Nathaniel’s pain has been tricky and some unexpected respiratory issues complicated our post surgery hospital stay. But today I catch myself taking deep breaths and releasing loud exhales of relief. The big day is over. The surgeon cut Nathaniel’s right thumb metacarpal, rotated it one hundred and ten degrees, and pinned it back together. The doctor then sliced a segment of muscle on the pinky side of Nathaniel’s hand and brought it over to support the thumb and increase thumb to finger opposition. Wow. The whole thing amazes me. We will know the final outcome of the surgery in five weeks when Nathaniel’s cast comes off. But for now we rest in the surgeon’s explanation that things went well. I am glad the last four days are behind us.