A Birth Defect...

His hypospadius birth defect was one that had to be fixed via surgery.  At 6 months old we were refered to a pediatric urologist, who infomed us about how he'd repair the defect and possible complications.  We set up the surgery and it was scary for us since it was his first ever surgery.  I went into the OR with him and stayed with him until he fell asleep.  The repair went well; there were however, some complcations.  Before we left after his surgery his diaper was checked and he wass still bleeding, the surgeon came in checked it and decided to redress it and advised us to watch it for active bleeding. 

We went home and that afternoon his diaper had a lot of blood in it.  We called and the surgeon said to wait an hour and if it was still bleeding to take him to the ER.  We waited and it didn't stop so we went to the ER and the doctor's there had to call the on call resident at another hospital to explain what was happening and to get guidance on what to do.  We spent quite a few hours doing that; finally the doctor returned and redressed the area to try and stop the bleeding.  We went home, but were told to watch his diapers for the next few hours and if it was still bleeding after the second diaper change at home to return to the ER.  We went home it was around 11PM and put him to bed; at 1AM we got up and changed him...he was still bleeding and we got dressed and headed back to the ER.  We spent more hours waiting and finally it was redressed again because the last doctor didn't wrap the area completely prolonging the bleeeding.  We stayed to be sure it worked and we finally returned home at 5:30AM.  Just in time for an exhausted me to go to work.  I was tired and had no sleep; I faced the delima of either getting behind the wheel driving an hour and possibly getting into an accident or staying home and sleeping so that I could go to work the next day.  I decided to stay home since putting my life on the line wasn't a good idea.  I called in stating that there were complications and that I just got home from a second trip to the ER and I wasn't going to go in that day, but I'd be back the next. 

That's when it all changed.  My boss (she didn't work where I worked, but I worked for her under a contract to this other company) called me that afternoon at 10 minutes to 5PM.  She informed me that I was let go from my job due to missing so much work...my husband blamed himself and I said that I understood and I chose not to drive exhausted and possibly die.  Do I regret my decision?  No, I love being at home with my son and playing with him.  I still wish that my son didn't have any complications, then I'd probably still have my job, but would I have my baby girl, I guess we'll never know.  About 7 months later, we had a follow-up with the surgeon, the residual swelling was finally gone and it was determined that he needed another repair to complete the procedure.  We were fine with another repair being done, we just wanted it done before our new baby girl would've been born.  Unfortunately, it wasn't scheduled until a month after her birth.  This second surgery went great, my husband went into the OR with him and stayed with him until he was asleep.  The surgeon came out and said everything went well and after his final follow-up he was all done with pediatric urology.