Good Riddance

Some of my older friends tell of a time when they went en masse with their siblings to the hospital to get everyone’s tonsils removed. While those days are over and surgery more rare, 3 builders will have had children who needed tonsils removed within a year, all for different reasons and I know many more who have had the same.

B-Mama’s son is next up, with his slatted to be removed on tomorrow, Friday. Please say a prayer for their little man (and his mama). While we all hate to see our little ones in pain, the long-term benefits of removing them when they really need to go can’t be overstated.

Here are some tips that we learned through the ordeal.

• Pediatric ENT’s are great because they and all the nurses are used to dealing with little ones.
• Loveies/blankies need to make the trip to the OR.
• Break the news with a spoon. I bought at least 6 kinds of ice cream/sherbert and then Jack-Jack and I grabbed spoons and sat by the garage freezer tasting all the kinds while I told him how the doctors were going to fix his breathing, though his throat would hurt afterward. He was so excited about getting to eat the treats that he didn’t get too upset.
• Sucking was painful for at least a week, so thing eaten with a spoon (ice cream, slushies) were easier to eat that sucking on a popsicle or a straw.
• Pain meds are essential, this coming from a very grin-and-bear it rather than a medicate-it mom. When I stopped waking our little guy in the middle of the night to take the meds, we were in a world of hurt. Stay on top of the meds. If they won’t take it, mix it with something they will drink like gatorade or juice, though avoid acidic juices.
• It was also helpful to move a mattress into his room so I could sleep on the floor, since he was most comfortable there and I wasn’t disturbing others getting up every few hours.
• Take it easy on yourself. It is ok if the other kids watch a PBS  marathon while you tend to the healing one the following week.

Any other post-op advice?