Ear Tubes

Ryland has had a lot of ear infections.  If he gets a cold, he typically ends up with an ear infection.  Teething...same thing.  Over the past few months the fluid in his ear stopped draining altogether and he was getting an ear infection about once a month.  So, we were referred to an ENT doctor who did ear tube surgery in March to put a halt to all the infections.

Here is a fun picture showing fluid build up behind the eardrum and then what an ear tube looks like after it is inserted into the eardrum.



Ryland was first on the surgery schedule so I had to wake him up at 5:15am.  He was not thrilled with that or the fact that he couldn't have his sippy full of milk. :(

Once we got to the hospital he was content investigating his surroundings.

 

And playing with his cars.

 

Ryland's anesthesiologist was awesome.  Anesthesiologists often give kids (and even adults) a sedative called Versed (a drug I abhor) to make the kids relaxed when heading to the OR.  A side effect is permanent short-term memory loss and when given to kids, they typically wake up from surgery completely crazy...like thrashing, screaming, and totally inconsolable kind of crazy (although they won't tell you these lovely side effects in advance).  I have always refused it for myself as well as the two times my children have had surgery. 

 

Not only was this anesthesiologist against this drug, he also let me go back to the OR with Ryland!  It is rare for an anesthesiologist to allow that, so I was super excited.  Also, since ear tube surgery is so short, there is no IV, and therefore no IV pain medication.  All these kids get is a Tylenol suppository while in the OR, which doesn't have time to work, so they wake up in pain (I worked in a recovery room at a children's hospital and saw this often).  So, I asked this anesthesiologist if he ever gave nasal Fentanyl, which is a good, short-term pain med, given as a mist in the nose (when I worked as an RN I loved when anesthesiologists did this...it is a great recipe for calm and happy patients).  This anesthesiologist said he had never done it, but he thought it was a great idea and would do it for Ryland. 

 

So, I went to the OR and stayed with Ryland until he was asleep then headed to the waiting room.  It is a quick surgery (about 15 minutes), so it wasn't long before I was taken back to the recovery room to see him.

 

When I walked in, this is how I found him.  His nurse said he hadn't made a peep.  When he saw me, his little lips started to quiver and the nurse told me I could hop in bed with him.  So I did.  He snuggled up on me and didn't want to let go.  Oh, how I love this sweet boy!

 

When the anesthesiologist saw how calmly he woke up from surgery, he said he would be giving nasal Fentanyl to all of his ear tube surgery kiddos.  Yay for awesome anesthesiologists!!

 

 

 The doctor said he sucked out a bunch of thick, gooey fluid from behind his eardrums before he put in the ear tubes.  It is good we did this...that goo wasn't going anywhere.

 

Ryland now has a cold and I am happy to report no ear infection!!