Emma's Tonsils

12/27/10

The surgery went very well. The doc came and told us that her tonsils were huge and how good this will be for her to have them out. What a relief!! While she was in the first recovery she seemed to be doing fine until they brought her into us for the second part of the recovery. 

I can't even clearly explain the sounds she was making but they made me sick. I knew something was up when the nurses were rushing around us hooking things up around us. We had three nurses by our side plus the CRNA (who he was completely amazing!!... though the nurses were great, too) and they stayed with us until she was a little bit more situated. She had aspirated and had fluid down into her chest so they were suctioning it out before they brought her to us. 

I was so scared because she was making nasty noises (due to the fluid in her throat and chest) so when she was breathing it sounding like she was about to throw up or something. (Which would be the reason the nurses were covering me with towels and blankets.) Then the sound would stop because she'd stop breathing for a second. It really freaked me out, that and the oxygen mask that they were putting on her mouth, and the suction tube they would stick down her mouth trying to get the extra blood out. It all made me sick, I about passed out.

Needless to say the CRNA hurried and took her from me and I all of a sudden had a can of Apple Juice and a cheese stick. I was so relieved it made me feel better, it was no time for me to pass out. 

At that point Emma's oxygen level was lower then it was supposed to be, even with the help of the oxygen mask. She was supposed to be at least at 90% and she was floating from the 60's to the low 80's. They brought in the x-ray machine and did a chest x-ray on her and everything looked good so we just waited and continued on with the oxygen. 

Eventually, with the mask, it stayed up where it was supposed to be but when we took the mask away her levels would drop again. It took a few extra (four) hours longer then we thought but she eventually kept them up on her own. We were happy to be able to go home instead of staying the night there with her. 

The hospital staff was so amazing. The people that were working with us were great but there were also a couple that weren't working directly with us (Britt and Candice, our neighbor) who stopped by frequently to check on us. They were all so kind and took great care of all of us. Even though Emma gave us a little scare it was such a good experience being at this hospital and with these people. The doctor even gave us his home and cell number and told us to call him while he was in Texas with his family if we needed anything. How many doctors would do that???

We didn't get a whole lot of pictures during the after process - for obvious reasons. It was crazy and hectic and we had other things to worry about. 

This is when we got there first thing in the morning. We're in the waiting room and Emma was just barely waking up. 

I'm getting Emma into her robe. She looked so cute in it. At this point she was awake and hungry, she found a granola bar in my purse and wanted it. It made me sad I couldn't give it to her. 

This is her goody bag. She got a book with bubbles, she was very excited about the bubbles. They also gave her a new blankie when we left, pictured later. 

Bubbles!

The tonsils. By the time I took this picture they had shrunk a bit. Seriously gross. They said we could take them home, I just took a picture and left them behind. A picture is enough, right? 

Waiting to go home. She was still so pale, I knew she was at the time but then I look at the pictures and I think "Oh my..." My poor little baby. 

Resting at home. This is her blankie she got from the hospital, she really likes it. Her poor mouth is swollen, and believe it or not it is what was hurting her the most. 

Late that night she ate some pudding and some yogurt. She was doing pretty good. 

You can kinda tell in this picture how she's a little swollen. She did so good that night. 

After the first two days (a little sad with some high fevers) she has recovered so much faster then her big sis and big bro did. She's done remarkably well. I was so sad for her but also so happy that it's over and that she's doing so much better now. We've also seen an improvement in her speech, she's said a few new words, too. We love our little Emma!!!