Mommy’s Surgery

Dear Kids,

As the date of my gall bladder surgery approached, your father and I had a choice to make. Would we tell you about the surgery or try to keep it from you?

We decided to tell you. We knew that you were smart and that you’d figure out that something was going on. Being kept out of it would probably lead to more anxiety than knowing the truth would. So we told to you that my gall bladder was sick and that the doctor was going to take it out.

This disclosure led to some interesting situations and conversations. For example, Livia would sometimes walk around holding her stomach, saying, “My belly hurts. The doctor has to take it out!” Marshall was more practical about it. He wanted to know what a gall bladder was and why it had to be removed. I did my best to explain. And during the ride home after the surgery, he asked, “Will you need to have your gall bladder out again? And will Daddy have to have his gall bladder out? Will Livia?” We answered all of those questions, and more, trying to set his mind at ease. He seemed more curious than anxious, though, and that’s exactly what we had hoped for. It is always better to be curious than anxious.

I think the most difficult part for you has been that you can’t sit in my lap for story time. That really gets Livia pouting. I don’t like it either, especially since you’re getting bigger every day, and soon you won’t fit in my lap anymore. But my incisions are almost healed. In a few days you’ll be sitting in my lap again for story time, and every evening after for as long as you can both squeeze in.

Love,

Mom