Goodbye Tonsils!

After several bouts of strep over the last few months, we finally made the decision that it was time for Emily's tonsils to go!  I was super hesitant leading up to the surgery, especially after going to the pre-op appointment.  We were told Emily would be staying overnight in the hospital and that it would be about a 2 week recovery.  I'm not sure what I was expecting, but that was definitely more than I had prepared myself for.  I just kept hoping that we were making the right decision, especially when the couple of days leading up to the surgery Em started expressing some fear about it all.

We arrived at the hospital at 9:00 Friday morning and spent 2 very long hours waiting for her turn.  She took some medicine that helped calm any anxiety and she actually waved at us as she was being wheeled back.  That definitely helped my nerves knowing she wasn't scared going back.  We moved to the waiting room and only about 20-30 minutes later the Dr. came in to tell us Em was all done.  She said she could definitely tell that her tonsils had been through a lot and even though we hadn't discussed it, she ended up taking the adenoids as well.   I guess they were pretty large, so she thought it was best to deal with them now instead of later.  We stayed in the waiting room for just a few minutes longer waiting for Em to wake up.  The hardest part of the day came next.  We got to go in to recovery to see her and she was just in tears and so out of it!  I'm not sure if she was in pain or just confused on where she was or what, but it was so hard for me to see her like this!  I was in tears sitting with her and again wondering if we made the right choice!  About 30 minutes later and 2 doses of morphine, Em finally calmed down and she got moved into a regular room.  We settled in for the day not really knowing what to expect.

Waiting to go to pre-op.  Mommy was putting on a brave face!

Waiting for her turn to go back into surgery.  The waiting was tough!

Right after she got moved to her room.  She was not feeling well.  :(

Emily was pretty tired from all the anesthesia, so she slept on and off most of the day.  Unfortunately for her, the anesthesia and/or morphine did not sit well with her.  She ended up throwing up twice.  . .even hours after the surgery.  I just couldn't wait for all the meds they had given her to be out of her system!  Late afternoon she finally decided to try some of the jello, pudding and popsicles that were offered to her.  However, she didn't have much of an appetite until dinner when she got a big bowl of mac and cheese!  Em was super lucky in that she had lots of visitors come up to see her.  Papa Mike, Mimi and Papa, Uncle Kevin, Aunt Julie, Lauren and Natty and of course Evan, all came up to see her.  I could tell that the visitors definitely helped boost her spirits and made her feel very special!  She even got serenaded by one of the volunteer musicians that works at the hospital and was excited to have a kid to play for (it's a small hospital that doesn't usually have many peds patients).

She finally perked up that night and got an appetite.

She loved the balloon Evan brought her.

I stayed the night with her.  Neither one of us slept well.  We were both ready for to go home by Saturday morning.  Luckily, she was released around 11:00 and we were all home.  She napped a bit on Saturday and we've taken it easy ever since then.  For the most part she has done well.  We've been keeping her on pain meds around the clock and are trying to get her to drink a ton.  The drinking is the hardest part.  She doesn't drink a lot to begin with, so to get her to drink a glass an hour is proving to be nearly impossible! She went back to school today, but will have to sit out of PE the whole week.  Her ears are starting to bother her now.  It's something we were told could hurt as a result of the tonsillectomy.  Poor girl!  I just hate seeing her like this.  At the 2 week mark, she'll get to go back to regular food.  I can't wait for everything to just be back to normal and I know she feels the same way!

Shawn and Evan had boys night at home.

While we had a Mommy/Daughter sleepover at the hospital.  She insisted I sleep in the bed with her all night.  

We were both so happy to be home and have showers!  We look like we had a rough night!