After more than six ear infections in an eight-month period, we took Olivia to an ear, nose and throat specialist yesterday. Our family doctor had warned us that we were likely headed for tubes, and the ENT doctor confirmed it. One quick look revealed a common structural defect that prevents the ears from draining correctly.
Olivia was fast-tracked for outpatient surgery in Kansas City early this morning, which gave me just enough time to Google “risk of tubes” eight or nine times. I had already read that more than 700,000 children have this procedure each year, and while that should have calmed me, I instead started to worry that is was far too common and maybe a bit unnecessary. Then, I remembered how Olivia howls when we have to deliver a an antibiotic shot because oral antibiotics no longer work on her stubborn ears.
So, we loaded the girls up at 5:30 this morning. (Our sweet friend Dawn agreed to keep Ava overnight, but Ava came home from preschool with a bit of a stuffy nose. Since Dawn has a new baby at home, we decided not to share those germs with her. Instead, we spread them across the Overland Park surgical center…)
Olivia was in good spirits, and I was able to stay with her until she went back to surgery. The process only took about 15 minutes, and in addition to tubes, she also had her adenoids removed and her ears drained. She was able to keep her blanket and pacifier with her the entire time.
She was in a bit of pain when she woke up, but thanks to a dose of medication, she seems to be much better. (She’s not allowed to drive or operate heavy machinery for the remainder of the day, though.) We left the surgical center less than two hours after arriving, and Liv was quite chipper by the time we got home.
Her appetite is back, which is a great sign.
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