We woke at 5:45 a.m., got ready for the day, grabbed Ethan and were out the door by 6:15 a.m., we had to be at CHOP, the center in Chalfont, by 6:45 a.m. My mom stayed over to watch Kendall and help out when we got home and Kendall was still fast asleep when we left.
We got to there and were put in a room with all the pre-op stuff that needed to be done and we put Ethan in this adorable yellow hospital gown and comfy socks. He was able to play with a toy that they had there which he thought was great while the nurses took care of all the testing that needed to be done to prep him. Ethan has had this cough for about 3-4 weeks now that is now mainly in the morning. This cough typically clears up with some juice, but he was not allowed to have any before surgery so the cough was there, with the Ethan boogers and all. The nurse said that before she would give him the giggle juice she wanted to check with the anesthesiologist to make sure he would put Ethan under with those symptoms, she was pretty sure he would, but had to check. So of course I am thinking, well the nose is just going to get worse the further we go in to the fall and winter, and the cough, well that is hit or miss, so Ethan will most likely always have these symptoms on a scheduled surgery day unless we do it in June, and I am not about to go through another winter being attacked by ear infections. And then she arrived with the giggle juice.
I gave it to Ethan through the dropper since he is used to me giving him medicine, and he took it like a champ. She then started a Wiggles video to wait for the juice to take effect. It did not take long at all. Within minutes Ethan's body went to rubber in my arms and his face took on the face of someone who just smoked the best pot ever. (sorry for the drug reference, but that is the only way I can think to describe it.) He was just staring into space with his chin dropped down, mouth wide open. I would lift his mouth shut and it would drop right back open. Then the Operating Room Nurses came in to check on him and take him back when he was ready and they had those shower cap head covers on which Ethan just looked at and giggled away. So they picked him up and off he went, no tears.
Andy and I were in the waiting room for maybe 15 minutes when the doctor came out to give us an update. The tubes were in great but his left ear had a ton of gunk in it that he had to suction out which was most likely the cause of the morning cough and also would have led to a terrible ear infection, and it must have been bc he was cough free this morning.
Then all we had to do was wait for him to wake up. They told us as they led us back that he was out cold sleeping, and I let them know that since that is the case, he will now sleep for hours unless woken up. They let us know that they would give him 45 minutes to sleep and then wake him to check on him. We went around the curtain and that kid was out, I mean mouth open, snoring away...man how long has it been since I slept like that?
So we went over all the post op instructions and then it was time to wake him. And on a normal day, if Ethan is tired and you wake him, it is similar to releasing a beast. I mean tantrum, pissy crying, flopping of the body, nothing can be done to satisfy him. This was no different except for the fact that he had a monitor clipped onto his big toe, was hungry, thirsty, sore, didn't feel right, and in a strange place...so it was on. He was mad. And then we heard the congestion just stuck in there, and he began to cough. We decided to let him have juice even though he really shouldn't have bc his tummy was upset, but his oxygen level was dropping and not coming back up and he needed to clear this. So of course I was filled with immense guilt for letting him go through with the surgery with this congestion bc he wasn't ok. So finally after guzzling two sippy cups worth of juice and working the gunk out, the oxygen level went back up, the mood didn't, but that was ok. So they discharged us and we were on our way home and it was 8:45 a.m.
Kendall was wake when we got home, and being the great big sister she is asked where her brother was so she could check him out as soon as we walked in the door. She continued to check his status all day long, since as you know she is our resident physician. She also instructed me to make a "message" for Ethan on the chalk board since I do for most events, like birthdays or special days, and so we left Ethan a get well message.
They let us know that Ethan would most likely not have an appetite that day and that he would be lethargic so to not let him walk on his own, and have him take it easy. So what 18 month old do you know does this? No way, this kid was home, with his toys and his best friend,he wanted to play. He had his bouts of crankiness and discomfort which were fixed through ibuprofen, oh and just a 4 hour nap. But the kid continued like it was any other day, and ate like a horse.
My phone rang all day long with people checking to see how he was, MomMomMom stopped by to see him, and bring his favorite treat, donuts, and my Mom was there until nap time entertaining Kendall. So thanks to everyone who prayed for and thought of Ethan yesterday, it made for a successful surgery and an easier than anticipated day.
Here is video of one of my consultations with Ethan's at home physician and him, her office is very chaotic and noisy, and she is busy reviewing her notes on her last patient, the little red hen , hope you can make out the, 'mmmhmm', answers...
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