Tonsillectomy

This post was coming, just not high on the priority list.  However, since my last post had comments regarding a tonsillectomy, I thought I'd do it now.

BoyTwo had HUGE tonsils.  As in ginormous.  As in if you tried to look down his throat, you couldn't because they were in the way.  As in when he first got here and I took him for his initial check-up (remember all that fun?!), I mentioned to the doctor that he had large tonsils that may need to come out. The doctor kind of brushed me off saying that he'd have to be really symptomatic and that you don't just remove tonsils blah, blah, blah.  Then he looked in his mouth and said,

"Oh my gosh!  Yeah, those are HUGE!  We'll have to get them out later on when he's a little more acclimated."  (read: we had just put the clinic in lockdown and things were not going well)

Fast forward to mid-August, right before we visited TN.  We received a referral to an ENT and scheduled surgery for after our trip.  The ENT was really nice and his wife is Ukrainian, small world, but BoyTwo didn't remember any Russian.  Still bummed about that, but what can you do.  

And now, Andreas, this part is for you.  Thankfully we have progressed and it's not nearly as entertaining as things were a year ago:)

He is scared silly of anything doctorish.  So, we were really careful and showed him what the doc would look like in his scrubs.  The doc told him he would get a special pilots mask to hold up to his face and that he would get to count.  Then, he would fall asleep and walk up holding a popsicle.  All of which did happen.  He still has and sleeps with his 'pilot's mask.'

Day of surgery things went really well.  Much better than I could even have hoped for.  I was prepared for all kinds of crazy.  He did have that crazed animal look in his eyes a few times and I had to bring him back to earth, but he held it together really well.  The best part was when the nurse came in to take him back.  She was asking him questions (how old are you?  when is your birthday?  how many brothers do you have?  how many sisters do you have?  do you go to school?) and he could. not. answer any of them correctly.  I think part of it was that he was a little nervous, but really, he just doesn't know the answers to a lot of these questions even though we work on it all. the. time.  (fyi, he said he was 6 when she asked him his age.  He's been able to get that right basically all summer-he's really 8-so that was random)  Anyhow, nurse was looking at me like either I'm crazy or he is or we snuck him in and she asks to see id and stuff and so I explain to her his situation.  I also mention that he's a runner and that he's scared to death of doctors and that he may be upset when he wakes up and sees the iv.  She was overly optimistic and assured me that he'll be just fine and that he didn't seem scared now.

People.

I am his mother.

Do not argue with me.

You will lose.

When I got to see him in the pediatric unit they had bandaged up his entire arm with lots of surgical tape.  I should also mention that he was in 'recovery' for an hour instead of 20 minutes like they had originally told me he would be.  Knowing in my heart what had happened but wanting to hear it from him and the nurse, I remarked,

"Cool bandaid, BoyTwo!  You look awesome!"

He answered,

"I keep asking if I dreaming.  And I keep pull this thing out my arm."

All the nurse said was that he had been a little disoriented.  hahahaha

It has now been almost a week and somehow this surgery has not slowed him down at. all.  I can't even count how many times I have had to chase him down because he took off running out the door to the tramp, bike, scooter, motor scooter, coaster, skateboard, etc.

Keep him down for 48 hours and then take it easy for one week?!

Yeah, right.  He hasn't even needed any medicine for pain.