Based on recommendations from our pediatrician and an ENT specialist, on Friday we had tubes put in Bailey's ears and had his adenoids removed. I haven't blogged about it much but he is been a pretty consistently sick lil guy since this spring. He has had five ear infections since May in addition to mono, consistency large lymph nodes, croup, sore throats causing him to lose his voice, rashes and hives, and low white blood cell counts and has just been generally uncomfortable and cranky. I'll admit that he has given us and his pediatrician quite the scare several times and he has been poked and prodded during several of these illnesses because we weren't able to diagnosis them till after the fact. And it has been summer!!! The ENT dr said that it is more common to see a string of illnesses like this in the winter months but having it during the summer months suggests that there might be something structural going on. Initially she recommended putting tubes in his ears to help them drain fluid, removing his adenoids as they might be enlarged and a source of infection, and removing his tonsils because they could be causing to the problem as well. A tonsillectomy made us nervous because it is an overnight hospital stay and a 10 day and fairly difficult recovery and they don't typically do it on kids as young as Bailey. So we had him examined again a week later when he wasn't sick and the ENT dr said that she would support holding off on the tonsils to see if the problems could be cleared up with the other two procedures. I joked with George that I had such a peace after scheduling the surgery that I felt 10 pounds lighter. He started laughing and said that was funny because I am actually 10 pounds heavier right now. Haha... jerk. :)
Anyway, this past Friday was the big day. I was a little anxious but not as much as I could have been because the surgery was at the same place that Ainsley had her eye surgery a while back and I knew it would be quick. Still, it is never easy to know that your kiddo is going under anesthesia. The above and below pictures are from before the surgery while we were waiting for our turn. Bailey was a champ and only got upset at the end because he was so thirsty and couldn't have anything to drink. But he willingly went with the nurses with no tears to the operation room with the promise of getting a balloon. I understand why they do it, but thinking about it, it is kind of cruel luring a child away from their parents saying that they are going to get a balloon and then gas-ing them and sticking them with needles. I guess you have to do what works though.
Here is the little man post-surgery. The dr said he did great and he woke up from the anesthesia fairly well. He was obviously uncomfortable, disoriented, and cranky but all that is to be expected. We were thankfully able to calm him down whenever he got upset. Sweet boy.
As we left, they did give him a sticker and a lollipop (but no balloon) which he took eagerly. He zoned out the whole way home like this watching a show in the car with his lollipop tight in his hand.
Then back at home.... he seemed fairly normal. I love this picture because he meticulously set up his area with his juice, snack, lollipop, and dolls in a ring around him and within reach at all times. :) The rest of this weekend he has been pretty sensitive and it is obvious that he isn't 100% and he hasn't been sleeping all that well, but all-in-all it has been a pretty harmless experience. The prayer now is that these procedures corrected whatever has been causing him to get sick so often and that he has a healthy next month so that we don't have to have any further testing done. Love you lil man!
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