6 years ago, Sammy (9) and Aliza (3) had there tonsils out. Now it's time for Maren (6). On September 10th, Maren went in for an out patient surgery of removing her tonsils and adenoid. A couple of weeks before that, when we went to see the ENT Dr. to see if she even needed them out, she was already worried. Before we went into his office, I told her that we didn't know for sure, but maybe they will be taken out. When Dr. Butler told her YES, she would need them out, she started to cry. She did not want her tonsils out.
She did get used to the idea, and the date was set. We had to be at the surgery center at 7:00 a.m. Here she is before going back. Sam was there until she went back to the O.R. They were able to push back his schedule and hour.
They gave a gift bag that had this hat and gloves, a disposable camera, and a coloring book that told what to expect.
We then went back to a little room, where the Dr. came in to talk to us, then the Anesthesiologist came back, then a nurse. They each had to check and double check certain things. They wanted to know if she had any loose teeth. She did have one that wiggled a little, but not too much to where it would come out during surgery.
They did get one thing wrong. They had her birth date as 2005, which would put her at 4, they even had my birth date year wrong too, they had me born in 1988, which would put me very young to have a 4 year old :). I wish I was that young, well, maybe not. They did get it all straighted out before she went back, could you imagine them giving her sleepy medicine for a 4 year old?
Once it was time, she wasn't thrilled about going back to the operating room without mom or dad, but she went. The nurses were great to take pictures with her camera.
One of the first things she said when she woke up, was that she cried when they started to put the mask on her face. She did choose the Cotton Candy smell :)
Well, here they are. Gross! After the surgery, Dr. Butler came out and said they were very huge for this little girl.
Here she is just waking up, before I was even back there. Can you believe she is sporting a smile?
When they called me back to wait with her for a couple of hours, the nurse asked Maren if she wanted to stay in the bed, or sit on my lap. I'm glad she decided to sit on my lap. She has a smile on her face now, but I think it is for the camera. She still wasn't very happy she got her tonsils out.
Her lips are all red because she chose a red Popsicle to eat before she could leave. She didn't know that at first, but once the nurse told her she had to have the whole Popsicle, then she could go home, it was gone it 10 min.
Yeah! Going Home! (I think that smile is for real this time)
She had a rough first couple of days, waking up in the middle of the night in great pain, not sleeping much, (I guess her pain medicine didn't make her sleepy, dang), and only wanting ice water and milk shakes. She kept saying... "I wish I didn't get my tonsils out".
Monday, 4 days after her surgery, was no school, it was going to be 89 degrees outside, so Amy and I took the kids out on the boat. Maren was a sport and tagged along, even though she couldn't swim. She had her Big Horn sheep, which she named Tonsil, that the surgery center gave her before she left. That has been a great comfort to her. (notice the frown on his face)
Well, today is Monday, almost a week and a half later. Maren went to school for the first time since her surgery (I got to play Wii Princess with her a lot during the week). She started feeling better, and didn't need any pain medicine on Saturday. She is very excited to be eating normal foods again and see her friends at school.. She is still hard to understand when she talks, it's almost like she is afraid to talk and is trying to protect her throat a little, but I'm sure it will go away.
So, here's to no more snoring, no more blackened eyes from not enough sleep, and here's to happy mornings! Love you Maren, you have been a trooper through this whole thing.
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