Tyler had his surgery today. I posted last month about his ongoing ear issues. After 2 1/2 years of glue ear, a second set of grommets was the next course of action (with a possible adenoidectomy thrown in as well).
We had to be at the hospital by 8am (rush hour traffic, anyone?) so we woke Tyler up at 7am. The first thing he said to me was, “better get up, don’t want to be late”. Bless!
Ethan had stayed the previous night at Nana & Grandad’s, so we didn’t have to worry about dropping him off this morning. We hit the road at 7.15am. Tyler was so happy as he settled himself into the car with his favourite toy and blankets!
When we arrived at the hospital, he was pretty excited to see this Christmas tree in the foyer, and immediately wanted his photo taken in front of it!
Unfortunately, Tyler was last on the list of little kids who were having day-stay surgery, so we knew he wouldn’t be heading into theatre until about 10am. We entered the children’s waiting room and were greeted by the sight of a bunch of grumpy-hungry-and-won’t-sit-still toddlers, and a couple of kids slightly younger than Tyler.
During our 2-hour wait, Tyler was an absolute trooper! Not ONCE did he complain about the waiting, or about being hungry or thirsty (he hadn’t had anything to eat or drink since 6pm last night … Rob and I actually fasted too, in support). I almost couldn’t believe he was my child! Tyler is not always very patient when it comes to waiting for things, and he certainly likes his food! I expected a lot of complaining, but he absolutely proved me wrong.
While we waited, Tyler enjoyed playing with all the toys in the playroom, watching TV, and working on his alphabet.
We also met with the anaesthetist, Warren, and a nurse, Jenny. As we walked into the treatment room, Tyler said, “I’m so excited!” … talk about mind-blowing! He just didn’t have any nerves or worries at all, and had a smile on his face all morning.
Jenny weighed him, gave him some Pamol, put his hospital band on his wrist, and talked about what was going to happen to him. She showed him some photos of all the different steps along the way.
She also let him have a play with this guy, who was wearing a hospital gown, gas mask and had a lure in his hand:
Tyler chose a teddy bear to keep (he still treasures the ones he has from his previous surgeries, so really wanted a third one to add to his collection). He named him “Ben”.
Tyler also got to wear a really cool hospital gown with brightly coloured frogs all over it! Much spunkier than the plain blue gown Mummy had to wear (along with very sexy foot covers and showercap).
More waiting … but Tyler was happy colouring in, and reading his Kids Church memory verse cards with Daddy.
When it was time for Tyler to go down to the OR, he was allowed to choose his mode of transportation: walking, or wagon. Of course he chose the wagon! I pulled it along behind me, all the way into the OR.
We got into the OR, and Tyler climbed out of his “car”. I helped him up onto the operating table. He just lay there, perfectly calm and quiet, as the anaesthetist put the gas mask over his nose and mouth (this was the part Tyler was initially worried about when we first told him he would need surgery). I held his hand, and he started breathing in the gas. Unlike his previous surgeries, he didn’t fight it at all. Just breathed it in until his eyes fluttered closed. I kissed his cheek, and left. Unlike the last 2 times, I actually DID NOT CRY. I know it’s because Tyler coped so amazingly well, and I knew he wasn’t scared or worried.
Afterwards, Tyler’s surgeon came to see us and gave us some good news – he hadn’t had to remove Tyler’s adenoids. Yay! He’s going to see Tyler every year from now on, until things have completely resolved. Because of his age (most kids outgrow ear problems before the age of about 4), he’s a bit of a special case that needs closer monitoring. I’m really happy about that, because it means there won’t be huge periods of “waiting and watching”, like we have already endured.
Not long after that, it was time for us to go into the recovery room to see Tyler. The nurse who came to get us said, “he’s woken up beautifully” and then commented on how cute he was! He sure did look pretty adorable lying on his hospital bed with his little teddy bear, bright red bandage wrapped around the lure in his hand.
He was a little sleepy, but still extremely calm and relaxed. We moved out into the next room so he could sit in a La-Z-Boy chair and have something to eat and watch a DVD. Unfortunately he vomited soon after we moved him to his chair. Because he had undergone nasopharyngeal exploration under anaesthesia to look at his adenoids (ie. a tube being put up his nose and down his throat), he vomited up a lot of blood and gunk. But through it all, he never cried or complained.
He eventually felt well enough to have an ice block – “I LOVE these ones!” he exclaimed when the nurse brought it to him – followed by a little jelly, ice cream, a sandwich, chocolate fish and lemonade.
After about 45 minutes, we were able to go home. Unfortunately, he vomited again in the car. Thankfully, I was sitting in the back with him and he said “sick”, which gave me enough time to hold the bucket out for him. He never vomited at all after his previous surgeries, but one of the nurses said all the kids who had ear/nose/throat surgery this morning had been sick, so it was probably a reaction to the fentanyl formulation they used today.
After being sick, Tyler fell asleep in the car, and then stayed asleep on the couch for another couple of hours.
When he woke up, he wanted FOOD! Now he’s running and skipping around the house, completely back to normal.
I am BEYOND impressed with how well Tyler handled things today. He really surprised me with how mature, brave, patient and calm he was. I’m sure it was a result of the awesome prayer cover we’ve had … and perhaps my efforts to prepare him fully, by being honest, talking openly about his feelings, and getting library books about going to hospital and having an operation.
I’m really pleased that it’s all over now, and I’m hoping it will make a world of difference for him. He says he can hear things better already, but only time will tell. We have a postoperative check-up in about 3 weeks, and hopefully there won’t be anymore fluid behind his eardrum. And hopefully THIS time, when the grommets fall out, there won’t be any complications that drag on and on.
Thanks to everyone for your comments, emails, texts and prayers. They are so appreciated!
* I took heaps of photos this time. I didn’t take a single one when he had his other operations, and I really regret that now. Tyler and I are going to use these photos to make a special book about his exciting adventure.
































