Whitley Ann ear tube procedure

Today was the big day - we went in for Whitley Ann's tubes to be put in.  This all happened so quickly, we had just seen the ENT last week... I didn't have much time to process all of this, but I'm counting that as a blessing. Brian and I were up bright and early to head out with her, while Naylor, Lalon and Aunt Amanda were still soundly sleeping away.

Everyone had told me how quick and a routine procedure this would be, and I knew that for myself, no doubt, but there is the anxiety that today it's MY baby being worked on the the stakes are just a bit higher!  Honestly, we were in the waiting room to be admitted / processed longer than the procedure took.  We arrived about 6:15 (just a bit late, that's another story...) and around 7am got called up to sign and pay and then around 7:10 went back to get her ready.  We sat back with her and got her gown on while the nurse asked a bunch of questions and the anesthesiologist stopped by to talk briefly.  We also got a brief hello from Dr. Patterson, the ENT doing her procedure.  Then a very kind nurse said it was time and took Whitley with her lamb and lovey back to operate on around 7:25am.  Whitley Ann was all smiles and laughs as the nurse took her back which made it WAY easier for me to go back to the waiting area.


We made our way to the waiting area and by the time I had gotten a cup of coffee, checked my email and updated Facebook on the iPad, Dr. Patterson was in the lobby talking with us - just as quick as he said it would be.  He said there was some gross, puss, gunky stuff in her left ear (I'm pretty sure those are the medical terms he used, that's what I heard at least) and then some dried blood from most likely a past rupture in her right ear.  He did some drops in both ears, suctioned the goop out and inserted tubes - voila, a new baby!  We got a prescription for the drops to do a few times a day for the next few days to just make sure none of the goop lingers.

Before he finished talking with us the nurse had come out to say we could go back to the recovery room to see her.  As we walked back, the nurse asked if Whitley was still nursing - I thought that an odd question and told her not anymore.  She said that she had been rooting around and wouldn't really take her bottle and I told the nurse that Whitley was my sweet snuggler and that she was most likely trying to just get in real close.  It took a few minutes for her to calm down / wake up, but not too long, maybe 5 minutes and the nurse said that was normal.  Brian went to get the truck while I got her dressed and as the nurse and I were walking out, she calmed right down.  By the time she was in the car seat, she was alert and ready for that bottle.  She was pretty quiet, yet content on the way home and then getting drowsy as we pulled in the neighborhood (which is where we met Aunt Amanda taking Naylor and Lalon to school) - we were back home after the entire ordeal and getting her ear drops by 8:40am.

I took Whitley up for a nap and laid down myself.  While I don't love getting up in the mornings, I think the anxiety / anticipation of the week was more exhausting than getting up early this morning.  We both napped until noon and now having some lasagna leftovers for lunch.  Hoping the remainder of our day is as uneventful and that things are looking good for our post-op follow-up next week.

After a long nap, having some lunch, feeling great!

 Thanks for all the good thoughts and prayers sent our way!