I guess I should catch you up on the last couple of weeks. The ear infections continued, so we finally went to the ENT on the 21st. One ear was clear, but the other one was half full of fluid. He gave us options: 1) wait until she got another infection 2) put her on antibiotics (preventatively. . . of which I am not a fan) 3) tubes. He recommended tubes. We went to the pediatrician the next day for a “well” baby visit. He also recommended tubes. So the following Monday (2/25) I made the appointment.
They were able to get us in a lot faster than I ever thought they would. Only a week later. . . which was good because we were back in the pediatrician’s office on Tuesday (2/26). Yep, another ear infection. So basically, we hit all three of the ENT’s options. Very, very frustrating.
Her surgery appointment was at 6 am on 3/3. Of course, they say no food after midnight. Ever tried withholding food from an infant? They don’t like it. . . and they aren’t big on your excuses. So the night before, I put her down for a nap around 6:00. By 9:00, I had to wake her up. I fed and bathed her and put her down around 10:00. We were pretty comfortable with that timetable because she usually eats around 7:30 and sleeps until 6:00 or 7:00 am. We got up around 4:00. . . okay, okay, 4:15. . . and were out the door by 5:15. Johnathan simply changed her diaper and loaded her up in her pajamas and bunny slippers.
She slept all the way there and for a little while in the waiting room. Once she woke up, she wanted to play. Johnathan had her standing his lap looking at him, but she found someone else to play with. There was a couple, probably close to our age, sitting across the room. Apparently, they and Mallory were playing. They would make faces and she would get “shy” and duck down in Daddy’s lap. Then, she would peak around his arm, smile really big and get “shy” again. It was hilarious. At one point, he laid her down and she struggled up with her “abs of steel” because she couldn’t see the couple anymore. The guy said she was “simply beautiful” and had a “million-dollar smile”. . . but we already knew that. ;)
They called back and we met with the first nurse. Then, the anesthesiologist came to talk to us. Very nice. Then, we saw the ENT. Finally, the last nurses that actually came to take her away (haha, heehee, hoho). By this time, hunger and grumpiness had set in. But she went willingly, with only a hint of a scowl.
We went back to the waiting room and sat down at 7:00 am. They called us back at 7:15 am. Wow, that was fast! Everything went well. The ENT said that she had a good bit of fluid on her ears so she should feel a lot better now. Then, we were called back to recovery. . . where the grumpiness had turned to full fledge anger. She was not a happy camper. We fed her half of a bottle. Then, she fell asleep. We stayed about 30 minutes for them to check her vitals a couple of times and to make sure she didn’t puke. Once everything checked out, Johnathan went to work, and I went home (after a stop to Walgreen’s for prescription ear drops).
When we got home, she took a nap, but that child did not stop “talking” from the time we walked in the door to the time I put her in her crib. She was smiling and everything. It’s funny. I wonder if she was amazed to really be hearing things, as they should be, for the first time, or at least the first time in a long time. We go back to the ENT in 3 weeks (post-op). We’ll keep you posted on her progress.