Bye Bye, Tonsils and Adenoids!

Matty had his tonsils and adenoids removed on August 15th. Although I was anxious for him to undergo anesthesia, I was more anxious for those tonsils and adenoids to come out so that we could all sleep again. Matty has been a terrible sleeper since February. He stopped sleeping through the night after the "pacifier fairy" visited him. After several months of interrupted sleep, we saw an ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat) specialist and learned that his tonsils were moderately large and his adenoids were huge. They had been blocking his airways and causing him to have a mild case of sleep apnea. So, it was a no-brainer to schedule and adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy.

Matty, for the most part, was excited to have surgery. He had no idea what "surgery" really means, and sadly, he was excited because he knew that he was going to the hospital with mom and dad only (no sister or brother!). Plus, we told him he would be able to sleep better. The morning of the surgery, Matty jumped out of bed when Tommy woke him up and said it was time to go to the hospital. I thought his excitement would fade once we got there, but for the most part, he was a trooper! He did not fuss as we put him in his hospital gown or when the anesthesiologist but a mask over his nose and mouth. I, on the other hand, got choked up as I held his little hand and told him we loved him. He was asleep in less than a minute (I wish I could buy some of that stuff for bedtime each night!) and then Tommy and I left the room. The procedure began at 8:30 and we were out of the hospital by 10:15!

My sweet boy, climbing into the hospital bed.

This is how we found Matty after the procedure.

Waking up...

... and falling back to sleep.

Popsicle, juice, and barf bag

Still groggy, but ready to go home.

After the surgery, the nurse spent almost 30 minutes consulting with Tommy and me about pain management. We came home with three prescriptions, a barf bag for the car ride, and a freezer-full of popsicles and ice cream. Matty has recovered with very little pain. We have been amazed! He had a tortilla-wrap for lunch that same day and pizza for dinner. The next day, he had steak - and lots of it! I am absolutely shocked that he had not complained of a sore throat once. We are nine days post-surgery now, and his only complaint is that his ears hurt (which the nurse said was normal). He has tylenol 2-3 times a day, but that is all. What a relief!

Now, I am just waiting for the two-week mark to hit so that Matty will be considered "fully-recovered" and we can start sleep training again. Matty goes to bed in his own room every night but manages to sneak into our bed around midnight. I don't have the heart to kick him out yet, but very soon he is getting the boot.

I am so very grateful for the skilled doctors and nurses that cared for Matty at Seattle Children's Hospital. I never want to take the health of my three children for granted. This procedure was our first experience in a hospital since we became parents, and I pray we never have to go back for something more serious. I realize that prayer may be unrealistic, but in the meantime, I am extremely grateful. We are lucky, indeed. Thank you, God, for bringing Matty through this surgery successfully.