We survived...

The ENT appointment went very well. I did go into the wrong building to start off with, but I guess it's a pretty common mistake as they sent me up the road to the right building. In my defence, the building numbers were the same, but the one I went into faced the wrong road (the entrance was on the road I was supposed to be on). And it also turned out that my NP had made appointments for both BabyGirl and #1Son. I nearly left him with Busha...but she was sick, so I guess it's a good thing I took all 3 kids.

The doctor was wonderful! He came in, shook my hand and introduced himself. He asked all the kids names and shook their hands and introduced himself to them. He answered all their questions (silly or not), and explained everything to BabyGirl so she wouldn't have to worry. #1 Son was busy setting in the "cool" exam chair. He asked B.B. if he wanted his ears checked only to be given a firm, "No," by B.B. When he was done checking out the kids and talking to BabyGirl, he said, "B.B., do you like suckers?" Yes! "If you can help me with something, I think I can find you one." He gave B.B. his otoscope and asked him if he could put it up for him. B.B. got it up on the table (but not in the charger), then the doctor gave him the probe cover to throw away. B.B. tossed it and went back to the doctor (this is a pretty big deal for a child who won't normally talk to someone he isn't very familiar with). Doc reached out for him, and B.B. let him pick him up and set B.B. on his lap while we talked about the sedation and IV's. I was floored. When we were done talking, Doc said, "I need to borrow these three for a minute, then you can go." He marched them all out into the hall, gave them suckers and pencils, and marched them back in. He also commented on how polite they were...my kids?! Polite?! It was one of those Thank the Lord moments when they stop acting like heathens and start acting like they'd been raised right.

He said the sedation is very light and there are no IV's involved (I was very relieved). They're not completely under (he said it was just like if they went to bed at night...they continue to breath on their own and aren't out for very long), and it's done with gas, not IV meds. He said the procedure was very quick and they should have very little to no pain. He also said that most kids don't need to wear earplugs in the water after having tubes put in. Occasionally a child will have problems, and then they'd get earplugs, but it isn't that common. He also said they should fall out after about 2 years and the hole left behind should heal up on it's own. If not, they will go in and patch it, but that's not too common either. I left very much relieved.

The office is supposed to call me later this week or next to set up the kids appointments. BabyGirl is still a little apprehensive, but she's not near as upset about the whole thing she was. She did seem to think she'd walk around with straws hanging out of her ears for the next 2 years and she'd be able to feel them. I assured her that no one but the doctors would see her tubes, and she wouldn't feel them. She's not real sure how breathing out of a little mask will make her go to sleep or how they'll get the tubes far enough down in her ears without her seeing them. #1 Son doesn't seem to care one way or the other.

If you didn't get a chance to yesterday, you may want to go down and visit my tea party...

As my late husband- Effrahm Levi- used to say, "Money, pardon the expression, is like manure. It isn't worth a thing unless it's spread around encouraging young things to grow." (Don't panic...I'm just watching Hello Dolly!) If he had any sense at all, he'd have the shutters done over in forest green.