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Saturday, July 07, 2007

Ear Tube Surgery from a Parent's View

One of the reasons I had initially been so against my older son (OS) getting ear tubes, was that I didn't understand the process. I was picturing a long drawn out procedure. After we decided that ear tubes were indeed in OS's best interest I found out the whole process is very quick; twenty minutes from start to finish is what we were told. The ENT said that if we got a hot cup of coffee when OS was wheeled to the operating room, the coffee wouldn't even have a chance to cool before the surgery was done. It was true; the surgery was really that quick.

This time with my younger son (YS) I was allowed to be with him when the anesthesia was administered. I had been told with OS that this was dependent on the anesthesiologist and the ENT. YS does have a different ENT, although the doctor is from the same practice. I was given a surgical cap and gown and I got to carry YS into the operating room. The anesthesiologist had what must have been two dozen different light toys on a table. YS picked up different ones and looked at them. The anesthesiologist then uncapped a fruit scented chapstick and OS sniffed it. The anesthesiologist then smeared it around the outside of the gas mask and YS leaned in to sniff it while playing with the light up toys. He started to close his eyes, but then he opened them. He went through this a couple times until he was completely asleep. It was just like watching him fall asleep at night. I gave him a kiss and then the nurse escorted me out of the operating room.

It turns out that a friend of mine was assisting the surgery which I have to say did make me feel good. On another feel good note, the techs put the toys OS had touched into a cart to be sterilized!

I went into the waiting room and picked up a copy of US magazine. I was completely floored to learn that Brittany Spears was pregnant again! Yes, it was in the little gossip section at the beginning of the magazine. Wait! I'm not try to start a rumor. I checked the date of the magazine and realized it was a September issue. Anyhow, I was just settling in to read an article about Angelina Jolie when the ENT came in to tell us the surgery was finished.

We went to be with YS as he came out of recovery. He was cranky and had a hard time controlling his head. We were told it was all very normal. OS was practically spitting like a cat when he woke up, so compared to that YS was easy. He drank some juice in a sippy cup (this time I knew to bring one!) We were told that when kids come out of anesthesia from this surgery they are dizzy (hence the need for a sippy cup) and all the sudden the world seems very loud to them. Basically sensory overload. As soon as we got to the car, he calmed down. By the time we pulled up to my friend's house to pickup OS, YS was making baby talk. OS had conned my friend, who had two kids of her own including a newborn in the house, into making pancakes! YS went right down for a nap when he got him home as per the doctor's orders and woke up just like his old self.

A. Elliot's Lesson Learned: Unless your child is well-skilled at drinking out of a cup, bring a sippy cup to ear tube surgery.

Labels: Child Health and Personal Care

posted by Alex Elliot @ 10:05 PM 4 comments

4 Comments:

At 7/08/2007 12:16 AM, Jessie said…

I like that they let you carry him in. A friend of mine's son had it done, and the doctors actually came out with a little red wagon to pick him up and take him back to the surgery. Of course the kid was thrilled.

Glad everything went well
At 7/08/2007 8:15 AM, Anonymous said…

Glad to hear the surgery went well! Love to All
The Big Giraffe's Little Brother & The Big Gifraffe's Little Brothers Wife.
At 7/08/2007 9:10 AM, super des said…

I'm glad it went so smoothly. Myabe both your boys will thank you later.
At 7/08/2007 2:00 PM, Suzanne said…

Glad it all went well, and I love the lark on the Brtiney Spears gossip. I was like, "OH damn!" and then laughed when you mentioned the date. Well played, my friend.

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Name:	Alex Elliot
Home:	MA, United States
About Me:	Professional Mom of two cats, a dog, an ant farm, and oh yeah...two boys: a 5 year old and a 3 year old. Also found in my house is my husband who is known on this blog as The Big Giraffe.
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