Princess and the ENT

Her surgery was today, tubes in the ears. 
We got there at 6:50am and found where we were supposed to be with the help of a nice nurse who helped us yesterday.  That hospital is so large that I get so lost everytime I go there!  Anyway, so after we check in, they take Pen's vitals and have me put on her gown.  She was so happy, smiling at everyone, just being a little angel.  I snapped a few pics with my phone that I will need to put up here soon.  She looked so darn cute in her hiney hanger (that's what M calls them...P1 has a few gowns in her collection that she likes to sleep in on occasion and since the back is open, daddy calls them her 'hiney hangers' since her hiney is hanging out. LOL)

Once that's done, we're all bracelet-ed up for verification and we head to the other waiting area to be called back.  That's when she started getting fussy.  It was almost 8am and the surgery was scheduled for 7:40 so we were already a little bit behind, but no biggie.  She was just hungry and right when she was starting to have a mini-meltdown, the nurse called us back.

It was her turn.

Heart racing. Tears trying to break out.

No one wants to say goodbye to their baby, only to have them whisked away on a gurney.  Away from you.  Out of your sight.  Needless to say it was hard to send her off.  But with big kisses and hugs and making sure she had her lamby and her Paci, she was on her way to la-la land.  Sniff sniff. 

So then we waited.  Like clockword, 20 min later the doctor came out and said her surgery went beautifully.  He drained her ears which were full of fluid and yucky stuff and said that she should "hear like a dog" now!  He gave us some instructions regarding the antibiotics and eardrops we have to continue to give her and told us we could probably see her in an hour.  She was in recovery and taking a little nap now.

Again, like clockwork, 54 minutes later we were called back to the recovery room.  There was our baby girl, being cradled by a nurse and screaming her little head off.  Once she was in my arms she settled right down, but I think she just wanted food.  She started rooting around and we were instructed the day before that she wouldn't be able to eat until she got home.  That wasn't going to fly with Miss Pen Pen.  They did say she could have Pedialyte, Water or Apple Juice so we took the Pedialyte and the first 2oz were gone in no time.  She chugged it down!  Then she started hollering for more.  I looked over at the nurse's station and someone came running over to give her more.  She sucked almost all of that down, but then I think she realized "HEY, THIS ISN'T MILK"!  And she was pissed!!

After 20 minutes of her just bawling and bawling, she finally settled down.  During that time the nurse told me that she's irrated due to the anethesia and that it happens to a lot of the kids.  Since I've only been under twice in my life for surgeries, I can tell you it's because they are waking you up.  During that time you are knocked out, it's the best sleep of your life and then it's OVER.  Someone, annoying at best, is telling you to open your eyes and wake up.  Over and over again you hear that.  So I don't buy that it's the medicine.  It's the bonehead who is trying to wake you up and you get ticked!!!!!! 

Finally we're discharged and given our post-op instructions.  Breastmilk first, than real food, than formula.  Antiobiotics twice a day and eardrops 3 times a day for 4 days.  No swimming for a week.  Put a cottonball in there during her bath for a week.  Give her Tylenol for the discomfort.  Make sure you're careful about keeping the volume level down in the house. Since she can hear now, some things may startle her that never did before. 

Once we were in the car, she slept the entire way home and didn't make a peep.  She was out cold.  I brought her in and she slept for almost three hours in her carseat!  I was going to put her in the crib, but I didn't want to be that aforementioned annoying person trying to wake her up when she was enjoying her slumber!  Plus, I was sleepy so I layed down on the couch next to her and we both slept for that long! :)

When she woke up, I nursed her and then she fell back asleep.  After a little bit, I woke her back up and she was her normal, smiley, happy little self again!!!!!  SUCCESS!!!  Tonight all she did was play and eat!  She took her meds like a pro and now she's sleeping peacefully!!  Thank you all for the prayers & well-wishes!   It means more than you could ever know!!!!!! *hugs*