In the latest saga of Emerie’s eye surgeries, here we are again today, up for another minor Botox procedure at the surgery center with Doctor Winkle. When we last did this procedure last summer, it helped realign her eye from trending inward and avoided a more invasive (i.e. cutting) surgery that builds scar tissue each time we have to do it. The hope today is that the botox injection will encourage her brain to straighten the eye on its own.

Now that she is a bit older and more understanding of things around her, Emerie recognizes when sisters go to school and she goes to the doctor and is not upset about seeing the beloved Doctor Winkle. Emerie talked Craig into bringing him a fresh donut at her last pre-op appointment and is always happy to go. In fact, Harper and Reagan are often disappointed they don’t get to visit him and ask when they can go.

COVID rules continue to limit how many adults can go back per kid (one) so I took Em this morning while Craig took the other two to preschool. As we drove past the building with Dr. Winkle’s office, she questioned if we were actually going to see him or not. After a little Frozen movie screening while I filled out the loads of paperwork, we were back in pre-op where she changed into the hospital gown, reluctantly put on the bright yellow hospital socks, and dressed her stuffed animals in the hair net that under no circumstance was going willingly on her head. After the Versed kicked in I enjoyed watching my daughter try to grab the colors out of the Hungry Caterpillar book and decided I would choose a better topic for the next visit. I mean, depriving a kiddo of food and drink prior to surgery means I shouldn’t bring a book alll about food, right?!

The whole procedure took only 30 minutes or so. By the time I sat down, pulled out my iPad and drank some coffee in the waiting room, the doctor was done and giving me an update. Everything went great, and unlike last time, he opted for gassed anesthesia to keep her under- meaning she didn’t have to ventilate or get poked with an IV like all the previous surgeries. This meant less time and a less grumpy kiddo waking up. Since needling the muscle is minimally invasive and only takes a couple minutes, it was much appreciated.

She was snuggled up and still asleep when I made it back to post-op- one minute she was still out and the next sitting up and asking the nurse for a popsicle. After said popsicle was devoured and two apple juices consumed, I convinced her getting dressed was a good idea and we were on our way home.

All in all, everything went smoothly and I’m glad to have made it through another of these without any hiccups! She is already back to her normal self, amid a red and mildly droopy eye, and running around the house wearing a Tangled costume and ballet slippers.

Thanks for all the prayers! ❤