No More Tonsils!

We had serious problems with Alexis getting sinus infections this winter so her Ear, Nose & Throat doctor decided to take out her tonsils and aednoids.  And while she was in there, she would do a sinus flush and rinse out her sinus cavity because we just couldn’t seem to get all of the infection out by using medications.

So we got up early in the morning to be at the Sanford Surgical tower at 6:30 a.m.  It was earlier than day care opened so…

Noah got up early and came with us too!  We decided one of us would take him to day care when Alexis was in recovery.  So while we waited, Daddy read Alexis the book “Koko Has An Ear Infection.”  She got it before having tubes put in her ears when she was an infant.  She was too young to understand the process at eight-months-old, but she really likes to hear about it now.

 

 

 

Alexis had a hard time coming too so the nurses came and got me to help them comfort her.  She was really freaked out when she woke up and wouldn’t stop screaming.  So I went back to the post-op area and tried to comfort her.  We got her settled down enough to bring her back to the recovery room but she refused to eat or drink anything, which worried me.  The doctor said dehydration is a major risk after a surgery like this because if we get behind on her fluids, it brings on a whole series of setbacks.  So we pushed popsicles, water, juice, slushies as much as possible.  And before we knew it, we were ready to go home – even if we didn’t get her to drink much of anything.

Back at home, we stocked up on every non-dairy soft food, drink, iced item we could think of.  Applesauce, flavored applesauce, popsicles, icees… she didn’t want any of it so we went back to the store. She was interested in mini marshmallows, bananas – sometimes,  and baby puffs – those ones that dissolve in their mouths.  Basically, she didn’t want anything cold.  She’s never been a big fan of cold, I guess.  Doesn’t like soy ice cream either. 

The doctor put her on a steroid and Tylenol with codeine.  We couldn’t get her to take it and had to try NUMEROUS concoctions to get her to even take it.  I went back to Walmart and had them flavor it, which didn’t help much either.  We did find that mixing her single dose with a drop or two of fruit punch Mio drink mix did the trick.  Then it was red and she likes red!  I won’t lie though, there were a few times we had to hold her down to get the medicine in her.  Especially the ones we gave in the middle of the night when we had to give her a little bit to eat so she wasn’t taking it on an empty stomach.  Again, the worry was that the pain meds would lapse, bringing her pain which would keep her from eating or drinking and then lead us to the hospital to have her treated for dehydration.  We didn’t want that. 

What I really wasn’t expecting was how she would REACT to the meds.  Tylenol with codeine can make you drowsy. I say “you” because it did not make HER drowsy. Apparently it can have the opposite affect in children – hyperactivity! And that’s exactly what we saw.  The day after surgery, this girl was literally bouncing off the furniture.  Don’t believe me?  I have video.  I couldn’t get her to sit still.  I was expecting some extra cuddle time to help soothe her, watch a few movies, take naps, have some popsicles.  That’s not what happened at all.  It was like trying to corral a kangaroo on crack. 

Guess what did get her to sit still… her book – about Koko.

And after 10 days of rest and recovery, she was ready to go back to day care.  We were also warned about the scabs falling off in the back of her throat around day 14.  No biggie there either.  Didn’t notice it or have any problems with blood clots or excess bleeding when they fell off.  WHEW!

Now, let’s hope we see fewer sinus infections!  Doctor also said this girl needs to blow her nose more!  We’re working on it!