Daniel's Surgery

Last Friday, October 14, Daniel had his Adenoids & Tonsils removed, his right ear tube removed & a new tube placed into his left ear.  The picture above is after surgery, when we finally got back to the short stay unit.


We were to be there by 1030am, and they finally took us in at 1235pm to the Operating Room.  I was able to go back with him & hold him while they placed the mask on to put him to sleep.  Once asleep, I gave him a kiss & was ushered out to the family waiting area.  That walk, leaving your child behind in the Operating Room is one of the worst walks, feels like a punch in the stomach.  I knew he was in good hands and felt confident in our surgeon.  


At 1pm exactly, surgery began, and at 2:11pm, I was taken to a family conference room to wait for the surgeon to come talk to me.  He said that his Adenoids & Tonsils were huge, much larger than any other 3 yr old he has seen. He also said that he couldn't put in a new tube into the right eardrum because there is a big hole in it now, from infection.  We have to wait to see if that heals, and if it does he will insert a new tube in the spring.  If it does not heal on its own, Daniel will need another surgery, one I've had, to repair the damage.  That surgery is HORRIBLE & I pray to God he never needs that. 

He was out of recover around 3pm & we were taken to the short stay unit.  The above pictures were just outside our room.  I didn't get a picture of the dump trucks that were going down a ramp, directly next to our window. being filled with dirt & then hauling it out.  Every few minutes we'd feel the floor shake, hear the dump truck beeping for the backing up, and then a few minutes more it would pull out.  Normally this would be Daniel's dream, having "diggers & dumpers" right outside the window, but waking up from surgery, this was NOT a pleasant sound.  


It seemed that every 15 minutes it would get quiet, while one dump truck left & before the next one would pull in. Daniel would fall asleep, being on morphine & the anesthesia made him sleepy.  But then, the truck would come back by & he'd jump & cry again.  When 5pm rolled around I had never been so glad for a Friday!  He finally was able to settle & get some rest.


We went home Saturday morning, with a fever.  Saturday night we were back in with a much higher fever, and he was refusing his pain meds, wouldn't drink, was vomiting & was dehydrated.  When they started his IV in the ER, he didn't move a muscle, not a tear, not even a little fight.  He was a sick little guy.  They gave him sugar water because his blood sugar level was low, and then just normal fluids.  They were also able to get pain meds into him through the IV, so he finally took a popsicle.  


We came home Monday night.  It's been a rough week for the poor little guy.  We've been watching tons of movies, well actually just CARS & Tangled a million times in a row.  This surgery has sure taken a lot out of him, I definitely didn't expect it to be this bad.  He had noodles this morning, which is good, one of the first "real" meals.  He hasn't been able to swallow much.  


Now we get to look forward to the 7-10 mark where the child is as sore as the first day of surgery, because scabs from their tonsils start coming off.  He has been on pain meds around the clock all week & will continue to be until about Wednesday, then hopefully Tylenol will be all he needs.  I'm ready to have my rough & tough Daniel back!