Ben.

We made it through another surgery day. I can live the rest of my life without taking any of my kids in to be operated on again. It's a helpless feeling as a parent, to hand your child over to doctors, knowing that although extremely rare, a mistake could happen. It's comforting that we've always felt like we had great doctors.

I don't bring my camera to these types of things. Honestly, seeing your child in a hospital bed knocked out with an IV is really not an image that any parent wants to see again. Unfortunately, it's an image that you don't need a camera to remember. You'll simply never forget.

In true Ben style, he was a star patient. When he had surgery years ago, we had to give him a cocktail. If you don't know what that is, it's a shot of some great meds that the anesthesiologist gives to make the kid not have a clue what is happening when they take them from your arms and down the hall alone. Two years ago, Ben needed it. This year, he went back happily without a cocktail.

Actually, the doctor said he had never seen a kid so excited to go back. He said he didn't know what we told him, but he couldn't wait to go under. The anesthesiologist told him he was going to get an astronaut mask over his face that smelled like bubble gum. Of course, we told him he was going to get to try on a Buzz Lightyear mask and he'd get to go to space. I guess he wasn't afraid as he went practically skipping down the hall with the nurse.

Ben just told us at dinner the nurse said, "ready to launch?". Ben said yes and then he says he went into outer space and saw all the planets. I guess he had fun being put under.

The surgery went just fine. The doctor says that his brain is going to take some time to learn how to work the eyes together properly. He's thrilled with his progress though. He said when we started all this in February, Ben was 20/400 in his right eye, legally blind. We've almost corrected his vision enough now that he may not even need glasses. I still think we will need to patch and wear glasses for awhile, but we'll see where things go from here. He has a follow up appointment in Phoenix in 2 weeks.

As for Ben, he's loving the extra attention today. I bought him a superhero book for Christmas. I'm trying to stay on top of things this year and wrap presents as I buy them. As I was packing his bag of things to keep him busy last night, I put the book in knowing that it would occupy his mind and keep his focus off the fact that he hadn't had anything to eat or drink in 12 hours. It worked. David read the book to him for most the morning. On the way home, I sat in the back next to him and he laid on me and slept the whole way home. We did not have a puking incident like last time. Thank God.

I tried to get a picture of Ben when we got home, but his eye was hurting and he wouldn't open them.

It basically feels like his eyes are dry and itchy. We have to watch that he doesn't rub them too hard. The corner of his eye was cut to relax the muscles and then stiched up. We have to apply ointment 3 times a day which he does not like, but he's always such a good sport.

I was finally able to get a picture this evening. After some motrin had kicked in.

And another one...

Looks painful. But in true Ben fashion, he still manages a smile.

Tonight, he's acting like his superhero self, running and jumping all over the house. It's nice to have him back.