My Stuffed Frog

Monday I shared a link discussing people's favorite personal Teddy Bears.  Today, I thought I would share the story of my favorite stuffed animal as a child.  When I was 4, I was diagnosed with a heart murmur.  I remember being told that I needed to have surgery and that it had to be done in New Orleans, LA.  Having been born 4 hours away and being so young, I had no idea what any of that talk really entailed.  I knew I should be worried though because my parents were.  Pediatric open-heart surgery was complicated for 1982 and there was only one doctor at Tulane University- Doctor Brunswick, whom I do not remember, but wish I did.  Anyway, I do not remember much of the pre-op besides being taken on a gurney to the operating room.  I was frightened because I had already been incubated and was unable to speak.  I remember being very frightened and crying and not taking my eye off of my Mom.  The next thing I remember was the after image of a very bright light, which I assume was the operating light.  Then, the very next thing I can remember was lying in a bed on my back and staring up and seeing a stuffed frog dangling over my head.  My Dad had gone down to the gift shop and bought it- I suppose thinking it would keep me distracted.  Over the short time I was in the hospital(I was told I had recovered exceptionally fast), I remember being flooded with gifts from all kinds of people- relatives, church folk from the church my family attended at the time.  I had never received so many gifts at once in my life- a record still held to this date!  However, the only one I can recollect is the frog.  A few years ago, my Mom put together some boxes of my 'stuff' so that I could take it back home with me - an exercise of letting go for my Mom.  In the box, among many other childhood toys was the frog which still looks remarkably well for being over 30 years old.  If any of you have any interesting, crazy, or funny stories about your favorite stuffed animal, please feel free to share it.  I would love to read your stories in the comments.