May 2014: Throwback to Olivya's Surgery...

One month ago today, Olivya had surgery to put tubes in her ears. After 8 ear infections in 12 months and 2 months of her waking up 3-12 times a night, we were referred to an ear doctor and decided that placing tubes in Olivya's ears would be the best way to relieve the constant fluid and pressure in her ears, and reduce (hopefully eliminate!) her ear infections. Poor girl...basically her entire life, she has been uncomfortable and/or in pain!!!

Because we live in a small town now, the specialist (ear doctor) only comes to our clinic every other week, so after we saw him, we decided that we would drive to his main clinic in Duluth to get her surgery rather than try to schedule it in Aitkin and wait another 2-3 months (because his schedule was booked until then).

Like any other surgery, Olivya couldn't eat or drink anything after midnight the day of her surgery. Luckily, Duluth schedules surgeries from youngest to oldest so the good part was that she was the first surgery of the day. The downside to that was that we needed to leave Aitkin by 4am to make it to Duluth by 6am. I was VERY nervous that she wouldn't handle the morning well without a bottle if she woke up...

But we made it to Duluth and this girl took it like a champ! The doctors and nurses were great! After changing her into her over-sized "surgery scrubs", they let her play with the mask that eventually would put her to sleep...

After pre-operation things, they took us upstairs where we had to wait for the surgeon and nurse to come out and get her. Luckily, they had a pretty sweet play area that Olivya could play in, which kept her busy for quite some time.

Soon enough, the Surgeon and nurse came out and talked to us, and before I knew it, I was handing my baby over and praying like crazy that surgery and the anesthesia and everything would be ok. I would be lying if I said I didn't shed a tear as they took her out of my arms and through those doors into surgery. The "what-ifs" were killing me, even though I knew it was a very routine and common surgery. 

Michael and I headed downstairs to wait for her surgery to be done, and just about as we sat down in the waiting room, the surgeon came in and told us that she was all done...things went great...and she's in the recovery room waking up from her anesthesia! I found out later that she was "put under" for a whopping 6 minutes and the surgery took 4 minutes (2 minutes per ear). Crazy!

When they brought her into our recovery room, she was nothing but smiles!!! I was so glad to see her awake and happy!! I couldn't stop smothering her with snuggles and kisses...

And about 1/2 hour later, we were on our way back to Aitkin! Since her surgery, there has been some nights that Olivya has woken up once though out the night (I'll take it over 8 times a night any day!), but for the most part, Olivya is actually sleeping through the entire night without waking up at all!!! (And once again, I am remembering what it is like to sleep!!). 

All in all, I'd do it over again in a heart beat! Its made the world of difference in Olivya, her sleeping, and her attitude!!! And today I'm thankful for the medical abilities that we have to help our children, and the doctors and nurses who live to make children (and parents!!) feel comfortable during what can be a scary and nervous time.

Hurray for fixed ears!!!!!!