ENT Consultation

Sophie had her ENT consultation yesterday. She has been sick with a fever for a week and a half. She hasn't been sleeping or eating, has been lethargic, and has been crying. BA and I have been juggling our work schedules, not sleeping, and feeling so sorry for the poor little peanut. She has been to the doctor three times now.

Yesterday at her consultation, it was decided that she needs to have her little ear tube surgery as soon as possible. It is probable that she will not get better or find any relief from her pain until she has the surgery. She has a lot of pressure on her little eardrums, and during the surgery, they cut a tiny slit and suction all of that fluid and infection out. She will be having it Friday morning at the St. Luke's Surgery Center.

I was really campaigning against ear tubes, because I was spooked by the traumatic experience we had with Peyton. I am feeling better about it after yesterday's visit, though. The doc assured us that most kids do not react the way Peyton did in the recovery room, that Sophie will only be away from us for about a half an hour total, and that her quality of life is really going to improve after getting these put in. Another bonus is that in babies this young, they don't try to force us to put earplugs in her ears every time she bathes or swims. We are to just make sure the water is clean and bacteria free (no lake water, etc.) and try not to get too much in her ears.

After the appointment, BA went back to work, and Sophie and I went to Wal Mart to get some surgery staples. I bought her a brand new infant to toddler bouncer that she can nap upright in (helps with ear drainage and alleviates pressure). We had one from a rummage(last picture), which let us know how much she loved it, but it is a bit wobbly to trust for her to sleep in. We're going to use that one for her to watch her Baby Einstein videos in now. We also bought her animal cookies, some toddler juices, a new Little People Farm flap book for the recovery room, a new set of summer jammies (which she needs anyway) and some popsickles. Are those the correct stapes for a recovering baby? I just felt like I had to do something to prepare and to make things as easy for her as I can.

So BA and I will both be there for the surgery, and then Sophie and I are sending Daddy to work so that we can go home and cuddle all day. I'm really hoping everything goes smoothly and that the poor baby gets some instant relief.

ETA: Gram Mathers is still trying to guilt me into thinking I brought all of this on by not putting a hat on Sophie when she was about 3 mo. old. We were camping, it was about ninety degrees and windy, and she was in the shade. Gram was and is still mortified that she wasn't wearing a hat. So I looked it up, and here's what I found (from the McKinley Health Center site): "COMMON MYTHS
Going without a hat in cold weather causes ear infections - No, ear infections are not caused by going without your ears covered, or by cold/rainy weather. The middle ear most often becomes infected from bacteria that travel up the eustachian tube from the throat. "

I won't be going on that guilt trip. . .