Yesterday, we woke early–4:30 a.m.–and drove to the new children’s hospital at the Westchester Medical Center. E was scheduled for surgery to repair two small hernias above his belly button.

The children’s hospital and grounds are beautiful. There’s a massive fish tank in the lobby, the kind you might expect to see at an Aquarium. Everything is beautifully decorated and kid-oriented. I wish I’d brought my camera. Of course, at the time we got there, it was also deserted and therefore very peaceful and quiet.

We checked in at Admitting and headed over to Pediatric Surgery to wait. We were early so we waited a long time. I tried to knit, but E was having too much fun climbing all over the furniture, so I had to be vigilant lest he crack his head open on the floor.

Finally it was our turn. The nurse took us to the back where E’s vitals were checked and he was given a cute hospital gown and some little socks (again, why didn’t I bring my camera?). He played with the curtain and explored the hospital crib. They gave me a disposable white jumpsuit to wear, a blue hair cover, and a surgical mask. I felt utterly ridiculous (Thank heavens I didn’t bring my camera!).

It wasn’t long before the anesthesiologists came to take us to the OR. We went in and E sat on my lap while they got the operating table ready. Then, the anesthesiologist had me hold E while he put the gas mask over his nose and mouth. He fought the mask for a moment, then got a few deep breaths and was out, gone, unconscious. I was escorted from the OR back to the waiting room.

It’s hard not to worry about your little baby, even while trusting that the doctors are perfectly capable and skilled and that they have all the necessary equipment and monitors to keep him alive. So, I waited and knitted and tried not to worry. I thought a little about what I did to wait before I discovered knitting. I smoked (a lot, but not anymore). I read (I remember reading). I wandered. Now, I knit.

The doctor came in after an hour and a half. The surgery was done and E came through with flying colors! I went back to recovery and nursed him. Then he slept. I knitted some more and chatted with the nice nurse who was monitoring him. Then, he was awake and that was that. We were checked out and sent on our merry way.

During all my waiting time yesterday, I’d knitted about 2 inches of this (I’d already done the ribbing, so it was 2 inches in the stitch pattern). I’ll post pictures another day.