Dylan's surgery

As most of you know, Dylan has had chronic strep. After the 5th time, the ENT decided to take his tonsils out. We scheduled the surgery for 1/28 and in the meantime, he got strep for a 6th time. Luckily, he was over it by Monday, surgery day.

Surgery went well. His tonsils and adenoids were huge for his size, but the surgeon was in and out in half an hour. He had to stay overnight due to his size/age (tonsillectomies under 2 years old are fairly rare). He also refused to eat or drink, so they had to keep him on the IV.

They normally don't let the parents back into recovery, but I had told the anesthesiologist ahead of time that he has separation/abandonment issues, so I wanted to be there when we woke up. He said if he was acting scared, he'd come get me. 10 minutes after the doc came out, the anesth. came out and asked me to come back. He said he was 'agitated.' That's one word for it. The nurse was MAD that he let me back there. She kept saying a mother should never have to see her child like that, straight out of surgery. Two other nurses later said they can't believe they let me back there. Anyway, it was really rough. He just had this look in his eyes. He was screaming, kicking, flailing. I had to restrain him because he felt out of control and needed control (that's what they told me). But I didn't cry (until later when he was asleep). It was very difficult to witness, but I wouldn't have had it any other way. He probably doesn't remember it, but I was there, telling him not to be scared, telling him mommy would never leave him and that I loved him. I think it helped.

Once we got a room, we immediately tried some water, but he wanted none of that. We tried a popsicle, but he was not interested. He wouldn't eat or drink ANYthing. So they kept the IV going. By 3pm, he still hadn't wet a diaper, so the nurse said he had until 3:30, then they would use a catheter. She did a bladder ultrasound and consulted with some other doctors. Around 3:15, he FINALLY wet his diaper. After that, it was like a flood. He was soaking through the diapers very often. But he still wasn't eating/drinking.

Around 9pm, he decided he was ready to eat. My mom had brought tons of pudding and juice. He ate a whole pudding cup!! We were SO excited.

Nighttime was rough. He slept with me in the hospital bed (I don't have a great back so Chris wouldn't let me sleep in the chair). He slept from 9 to 11, then woke up in pain. I asked for pain meds and he went back to sleep pretty quick. He slept until 2 and we got more pain meds and watched Cars (thank GOD for our portable DVD player!! we only had 5 channels in the hospital-that DVD saved us!). He went back to sleep and slept until 7am. But he coughed a lot in his sleep and would cry every time.

He ate a whole scrambled egg for breakfast, but still wouldn't drink a thing. The nurse came in and said our surgeon/ENT had a fever and didn't want to have that around the kids, so he'd call throughout the day to check in, and if all was well, he'd let him go home. Since he still wasn't drinking, they said he had to eat lunch, then he could go home. They said there was enough fluid in the foods. They went ahead and removed his IV after breakfast.

He took a nap 10-12, then woke up grumpy and hurting. More pain meds, and we ordered lunch. We got all his favorites-mac and cheese, green beans, rice and corn. He wouldn't touch it. We were convinced we'd be there another night. Once the pain meds kicked in, though, he chowed down AND finally drank some juice. They sent us home at 1:30.

He did really well and was so brave. He's still in pain and his voice is scratchy, but it's getting better every day. He's running a low-grade fever (still), but that's normal.

Here are a few pictures.
Pre-op:




Post-op, with grandma:


and Daddy:




and Mommy:


Ready to go for a walk:





The IV is out!


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