Addison's Ear Tube Surgery

On March 20, Addison finally had the much-needed ear tube surgery. She had already had five--FIVE--ear infections in about three months so it was time. We had blasted through amoxicillin, augmentin, omnicef, clindamycin, and the injections. Three rounds worth.

We had to be to the Children's Hospital at 6:15 a.m. on surgery day (where we promptly began our three-hour waiting. WHY do they do this?!? Sure is hard to entertain a child who was woken up too early and then has only diaper bag toys to play with. And hasn't eaten). ANYWAY. We checked into our little room and waited.

I do have to admit, though, that she was so stinkin' cute in her tiny little gown, and was really happy for not eating since midnight and having minimal toys.

Thankfully, Child Life came to the rescue while we waited with more toys, books, a red car for her (which we pushed her around in for probably 75 loops of the pre-op wing. I wish I was kidding. She was SO HAPPY in it and preferred that method of entertainment). :)

They also had bubbles which she really enjoyed. We talked to the anesthesiologist and the surgeon and then waited some more until it was her turn. She was having separation anxiety even when the nurses or doctors would come into the room so they gave her an anti-anxiety medicine by mouth. However, they then came to get her about two minutes after that so it had no time to actually work. It broke my heart to hear her screaming as they wheeled her into the OR.

The surgery was pretty short--maybe 15 minutes--and then we were called to go back and see her. She was, of course, screaming and very irritable, but that's common for babies coming out of general anesthesia. Oh, and she was starving so that didn't help either. They preferred that she start with clear solids, so she tanked a small bottle of pedialyte, and then demanded more. She had a bottle and some crackers and we were allowed to go with just a small bottle of antibiotic ear drops to show for our morning (huge bill to follow in a few weeks, I'm sure). :)

She ended up falling asleep on the way home and napped for 4.5 hours! She did pretty well throughout the rest of the day, but didn't really do much better overnight. She played with her ears a lot, but they said that could happen because she's 1) hearing better and clearer and 2) is feeling no fluid and/or feeling fluid draining out.

WELL. And here we are today. She's continued to sleep like crap (sorry, I'm being frank). We tried to let her cry one night instead of tending to her, and she cried for 2.5 hours (we checked on her). She's just been continually cranky overnight, and last night yellow/brown drainage was coming from her ears. I. KID. YOU. NOT. I called ENT today and they said she'll now begin a 7-day course of ear drop antibiotics. I am not clear if this means she has an infection or not. I did ask and they said not necessarily, but that the tubes are doing what they are supposed to and draining out the fluid that would have normally sat behind her eardrum and caused one soon. This poor girl. Sigh....

Anyway, she goes back for her follow-up on April 17, where I believe they'll re-test her hearing to see if it has improved since her first ENT consult a month ago. I'm guessing the answer is yes because she is much more sensitive to sounds than she was prior to surgery.

Keep the little peanut in your prayers that whatever she has going on now clears up without issue on these drops!

(FYI: all phone pics; sorry they are blurry)



Addison: Nine Months

Nine months. Wow. You've been out as long as you were in. Crazy!!

Addison,

At nine months old, you:

- Are, according to all your sick visit weigh-ins, still between 20 and 21 pounds (9 mo appt on 3/15 and will update then)
- Are in size 3 daytime diapers and size 4 overnight diapers
- Wear a mix of 9 and 12 month clothing. Your sleepers are still 9 months (and big?) but most of your daytime clothing is 12 months.
- Started napping SO well at daycare...in the crib!!! YAY! You no longer want to even touch your swing at home, and haven't for a few weeks. I think we'll pack it up this weekend. :(
- Are on your FOURTH ear infection in about 10 weeks. You will get tube surgery on March 20, and I'm praying we'll be done with this mess.
- Are sleeping pretty terribly at night, but it's almost to be expected with ear infection after ear infection, and antibiotics that upset your stomach.
- Use the paci even less than last month. I can't even remember the last time you used it. We're going to just officially break it now so we don't have to have Santa do it in a year.
- Eat pretty much exclusively table food now. We have a few homemade cubes of babyfood left but it's like we're feeding you poison when we try to give that to you. How dare we!?! Your favorite foods are green beans, black beans, peas, corn, noodles, pieces of chicken, peaches, bananas, cheerios, yogurt bites, and many other things. :)
- Hardly drink milk at all. Like some days you drink less than 10 ounces. I know that's probably not good but you want nothing to do with it except maybe one bottle during the morning and the one before bed. I'm thinking it could be that you don't have as much of an appetite from all the nasty antibiotics!
- Still have just the two teeth, but your upper gums are super swollen like there might be others on the way.
- Are soooo close to crawling! You rock on all fours and can get around by pulling yourself on your belly.
- Try so hard to pull yourself up and do really well when we help you a little!
- Have your first "pedicure!" It's just darling.
- Are getting so much more hair, and look precious in bows and headbands.
- Are totally fine in your carseat now, thank God. You are still in your baby seat in the car, but are in the convertible seat in the van.  
- Had an overnight with Oma (at our house) while mommy and daddy went on an overnight date. You didn't sleep, but Oma sure got to cuddle a cutie. :)
- Never, ever cry at daycare drop-off but if mommy leaves you in a room alone at home, it's all over.

Despite your poor ears, you still shock us every day with your gigantic smile and sweet personality. You are such a little doll baby and we love you so much, pretty girl!

Carter goes to the dentist!

Carter went to his "first" dentist appointment around 1 year old (they only counted and brushed), but last week was his real first dentist appointment, complete with scraping, digging, prodding, and cleaning. :) I was slightly nervous but we spent a few days going over the sounds he would hear and what they would do.

 

And he SHOCKED me! He didn't cry even once, and was so brave! He held onto his new matchbox car for dear life but followed directions so well, and left with super shiny teeth. 

 

They did ask if he was a thumb sucker, which he's not, but I told them he did have a paci habit until three or so months ago. The doctor said he had a pretty good overbite which is common in paci and thumb suckers, but that thankfully, he thinks the habit was broken early enough for it to not make a difference and that we stopped just in the knick of time! Phew! Good call on the paci-taking there, Santa. ;)

 

That time Carter got his head stuck at the grocery store.

I've made it nearly three years with only minor little panics related to Carter, which I think can be considered a victory. Falling and almost banging his head. Almost falling down the steps. Running too close to the pool. But last night he panicked me in a new way.

Just a regular day, I picked the kids up from daycare and we headed to the grocery store. Addison was in her carseat in the back and Carter didn't want to sit in the front seat, so he was walking.

We got all our stuff and got in line. Carter went in first, then the cart, then me. So, he was standing near the bagging area as I put our stuff up on the belt. He decided he wanted to come stand by me, and began to squeeze his way between the metal grocery cart and the wall of the register area beside us.

"Carter, don't do that, you're going to get your head st...."

It happened.

The wailing (translation: FREAKING. OUT.) began instantaneously. I laughed at first because I figured it was a simple little wiggle to get that noggin out.

But no joke, it was wedged in there. My heart dropped and I began to get nervous. It also doesn't help when it's 5:30 p.m. and everyone and their brother is grocery shopping and now subsequently looking at what in the actual heck is happening at register 5.

The Customer Service people froze and watched. The cashier froze. The bagger froze. So I dropped to me knees and worked to wiggle his head out. It's about here where I could hear William Shatner narrating our very own episode of Rescue 911. "It was March 7, 2013 in a small town in Pennsylvania..."

We ended up pulling the cart really tight one way, and pushing the register wall really hard the other to make a millimeter or two of room for me to get his head out.

But, oh the crying. "BANDAID!" "HEAD HURTS!" "MOMMMMMMY!"

Pretty sure all the people coming in at that point just thought he was an out-of-control three year old.

He has a little bruise to show for it, but by the time we got home, he had forgotten about it (though the bruise lives on!).

Just thought he'd freak his mama out a little.



Sick baby girl

The poor little girl has her fourth--FOURTH--ear infection in just over two months. It's just pitiful. Sweet thing goes ten days on antibiotics, seven days off, and then pretty much has another (or the same, just not going away) ear infection again. She hardly has time to recover!!

She is already on a pretty strong antibiotic and has blasted past amoxicillin, augmentin, omnicef, and now clindamycin. Yesterday was just too much. We called for an ear check and took her in and, yep, she had another. We knew it was time to talk about tubes after the third one but her pediatrician wanted to see how omnicef worked for her. Since it obviously didn't, we got the referral yesterday and by some sheer miracle/gift from God, there was a cancellation at 2:15 yesterday, so we took it! We got back to my office after her pediatrician appointment around 11:30 a.m., and the sweet thing slept in my office for over two hours.

After much time spent at the ENT specialist's office--where they were able to complete her baseline hearing tests and complete all pre-op procedures SAME!! DAY!!--we headed home. And it was sad. She's feverish, grumpy, and NOT into clindamycin (can't say I blame her; that stuff smells like sewer!). And she may or may not have been up all night. We felt so bad for her. :(

Her tube surgery is scheduled for March 20. The pediatric otolaryngologist said that she needs them badly, and she will be a new girl when she has them. Prayers appreciated! :)

In happier news, after a few bouts of spitting/throwing up the nasty meds, CVS has pulled through for the win with FlavorX grape flavoring and bitterness suppressor, and she took dose four with only minimal gagging.

Here's to hoping this is our last ear infection for a very long time...