After three years, Mallory hadn’t lost one of her ear tubes. And her cool ear doctor, the great Dr Possum Hunter, doesn’t like to have tubes in for more than three years, so we had to have her one tube removed. They said this procedure was basically the opposite of putting the tube in – meaning it was very routine. The only problem from Mallory getting tubes was that she woke up HORRIBLE from the anesthesia, so my only request of the anesthesia team (um, my sister) this time was to PLEASE don’t have that happen again.
Mallory was a wonderful patient. She wasn’t afraid at all. She knows that I work in the hospital and that Aunt Emily works in the hospital so it isn’t some big scary place to her. She didn’t even need any of the loopy meds because when Aunt Emily said it was time to go back, Mallory grabbed her hand and went right back with her. My brave big girl.
Rick & I were sent to the waiting room and since Mallory hadn’t been allowed to eat anything that morning, Rick & I abstained also – but once she was in surgery, all bets were off. I hightailed it to the cafeteria and got some eggs & pancakes to bring back to the waiting room. Once I got back, Rick said she was already out of surgery and they were telling us we could go up. Is it bad that Rick & I inhaled that breakfast before going to see Mallory? I mean, I know she was in good hands with my sister – so it was ok, right?
When they took us back to see her – I wasn’t sure what we’d find. Would she still be asleep? Would she be screaming?
Um, none of the above.
She was inhaling her graham crackers and apple juice, and could have cared less that she’d just had “sturgery”. Apparently her tube was almost about to come out on its own anyway, so they didn’t even need to do the “paper patch” (which just covers the hole in her ear drum while it heals). Rick had asked to let us have the tube after they pulled it out, so Mallory proudly showed that off. She has decided that she is bringing that for her sharing day on Monday.
My sister told us to keep a hold of her as we left the hospital because Mallory might be a little unsteady still from the anesthesia. She did seem a little wobbly but was almost 100%. We came home so she could eat some “Yucky Charms” and then because she was doing so well, we ran some errands. I’m sure that if any of my co-workers saw us out & about, they’d think I was totally lying about needing the day off because my daughter was having surgery. But who knew how well it was going to go, right?
The other cool thing is that Michigan was playing in the NCAA basketball tournament that afternoon and if I’d had to work, I would have missed the game, but instead I got to watch the game live :-)