All day...when I thought A was doing good, she'd crump...cry, cry, cry, whine, whine, whine. Then, she'd perk right up. I suppose this is the road to recovery.
Luckily, she realized Motrin doesn't taste so bad. This morning she even said "tank you" after taking the motrin. Then, I some how tricked her in to taking her lortab tonight. It was the first time she'd had it today. I think she'll feel a lot better in the morning!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Surgery
Little A had her tonsils and adenoids out yesterday. For most people, this is not a big deal. However, there were a couple of issues that made the decision to have this done extremely difficult for me.
First, even though I am a nurse, I don't totally trust the medical profession. Especially surgeons. Surgeons were educated and trained to operate. If you go to a surgeon for a problem, they fix it with surgery. So, when our doctor (the ENT) recommended a T&A, I had my doubts. I thought he just wanted to do surgery because he is a surgeon. I wouldn't commit right away. I wanted to know the opinion of A's doctor...a family medicine doctor, not a surgeon at all. He said go ahead. See, A has (hopefully had) moderate sleep apnea. While her spells of apnea were not big (although almost 1 an hour), her sleep efficiency sucked. It was 75%, it should have been greater than 90%. Her respiratory disturbance index was 9.5 and it should have been less than 1.
Second, her tonsils weren't big, according to the ENT. When I did decide to schedule the surgery, the nurse said that the notes said they weren't big. This only seemed to confirmed by concerns from above...surgeons operate. I did what any mother would do -- I prayed and prayed. I needed a sign or something. Not that God always gives signs. But He has given me knowledge (being a nurse and assessment skills). Plus, call it being a mom, or maybe God helped my gut feeling, but I had one. Even though all the evidence said "her tonsils aren't big" and my logic said "there could be something else" my gut was screaming "GET THEM OUT!".
A couple of weeks ago, I was napping with A. She usually sleeps in a shirt, but for some reason (hmmm, God?) she was only in a diaper. I got the sign I needed. She started having intercostal retractions. Retractions are when your abdominal and/or chest wall muscles have to work so hard to breathe, you see "dips" between the ribs (intercostal), under the ribs (subcostal), etc. (Okay, so I think all of those are right!). Anyway, retractions are a sign of respiratory distress.
The night before surgery was horrible. Little A had a sore back or something. She fell the night before, so I think it might have been sore. She hardly slept. I hardly slept. I thought this was a sign we should cancel. But, I didn't. And, I couldn't nurse my all-night nurser after 3:45 am. That was hard, but I only had to say no once. She does usually like to nurse right before I get up. It is really hard to say no to a cute little baby saying "milk, milk".
The morning of surgery was smooth. Once we got to the hospital (the one where I work, so she didn't suspect a thing), things went extremely smoothly. The first case cancelled, so we didn't have to wait at all. We were supposed to go at 8:45 and we were now scheduled for 8 am. Everyone from the anesthesiologist (Dr. Y, loved him!) to the ENT (Dr. D) to the nurses and the CRNA rocked.
I got to go to the OR with A. I wasn't planning, but decided I would go back. She went to sleep in my arms. It wasn't scary or anything. Mostly because, I was under the impression A would be on a ventilator (letting a machine breathe for her, which is necessary with enough anesthesia). Dr. Y said that he doesn't to that. He puts a tube in her mouth, but she's breathing...basically he creates an airway for her. Because of this, I totally relaxed.
Dr. D said he'd be done in 20 minutes. Not a second past 20 minutes, he was out talking to us. He said her tonsils were much larger than he originally thought. And, he said her adenoids were taking up 100% of her airway...or something like that. Whew! I know that sound terrible, but what a relief. We didn't do surgery for nothing.
We spent the day & night in the hospital. A was groggy most of the day. About 5pm, she stood up and started jumping in her bed! She was ready to go! The night was fair (better than the sleep study) but not great. However, she has fallen asleep already, but who knows how long that'll last. I'm not holding my breath. :)
I hear it takes about 2 weeks to notice any difference. I do know that A has had difficulty breathing during sleep for her entire life. She snored. She sweated at night. Tossed and turned. Fussed. Never slept through the night (less than 10 times in almost 20 months). I just hope that she heals well and she is able to breathe at night!
I'm glad we did it. But, more than anything, I'm glad to be home. Resting peacefully in our own space...without the germs of the hospital. Ugh! Grossness.
First, even though I am a nurse, I don't totally trust the medical profession. Especially surgeons. Surgeons were educated and trained to operate. If you go to a surgeon for a problem, they fix it with surgery. So, when our doctor (the ENT) recommended a T&A, I had my doubts. I thought he just wanted to do surgery because he is a surgeon. I wouldn't commit right away. I wanted to know the opinion of A's doctor...a family medicine doctor, not a surgeon at all. He said go ahead. See, A has (hopefully had) moderate sleep apnea. While her spells of apnea were not big (although almost 1 an hour), her sleep efficiency sucked. It was 75%, it should have been greater than 90%. Her respiratory disturbance index was 9.5 and it should have been less than 1.
Second, her tonsils weren't big, according to the ENT. When I did decide to schedule the surgery, the nurse said that the notes said they weren't big. This only seemed to confirmed by concerns from above...surgeons operate. I did what any mother would do -- I prayed and prayed. I needed a sign or something. Not that God always gives signs. But He has given me knowledge (being a nurse and assessment skills). Plus, call it being a mom, or maybe God helped my gut feeling, but I had one. Even though all the evidence said "her tonsils aren't big" and my logic said "there could be something else" my gut was screaming "GET THEM OUT!".
A couple of weeks ago, I was napping with A. She usually sleeps in a shirt, but for some reason (hmmm, God?) she was only in a diaper. I got the sign I needed. She started having intercostal retractions. Retractions are when your abdominal and/or chest wall muscles have to work so hard to breathe, you see "dips" between the ribs (intercostal), under the ribs (subcostal), etc. (Okay, so I think all of those are right!). Anyway, retractions are a sign of respiratory distress.
The night before surgery was horrible. Little A had a sore back or something. She fell the night before, so I think it might have been sore. She hardly slept. I hardly slept. I thought this was a sign we should cancel. But, I didn't. And, I couldn't nurse my all-night nurser after 3:45 am. That was hard, but I only had to say no once. She does usually like to nurse right before I get up. It is really hard to say no to a cute little baby saying "milk, milk".
The morning of surgery was smooth. Once we got to the hospital (the one where I work, so she didn't suspect a thing), things went extremely smoothly. The first case cancelled, so we didn't have to wait at all. We were supposed to go at 8:45 and we were now scheduled for 8 am. Everyone from the anesthesiologist (Dr. Y, loved him!) to the ENT (Dr. D) to the nurses and the CRNA rocked.
I got to go to the OR with A. I wasn't planning, but decided I would go back. She went to sleep in my arms. It wasn't scary or anything. Mostly because, I was under the impression A would be on a ventilator (letting a machine breathe for her, which is necessary with enough anesthesia). Dr. Y said that he doesn't to that. He puts a tube in her mouth, but she's breathing...basically he creates an airway for her. Because of this, I totally relaxed.
Dr. D said he'd be done in 20 minutes. Not a second past 20 minutes, he was out talking to us. He said her tonsils were much larger than he originally thought. And, he said her adenoids were taking up 100% of her airway...or something like that. Whew! I know that sound terrible, but what a relief. We didn't do surgery for nothing.
We spent the day & night in the hospital. A was groggy most of the day. About 5pm, she stood up and started jumping in her bed! She was ready to go! The night was fair (better than the sleep study) but not great. However, she has fallen asleep already, but who knows how long that'll last. I'm not holding my breath. :)
I hear it takes about 2 weeks to notice any difference. I do know that A has had difficulty breathing during sleep for her entire life. She snored. She sweated at night. Tossed and turned. Fussed. Never slept through the night (less than 10 times in almost 20 months). I just hope that she heals well and she is able to breathe at night!
I'm glad we did it. But, more than anything, I'm glad to be home. Resting peacefully in our own space...without the germs of the hospital. Ugh! Grossness.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Comments
No one has every commented on this blog. I'm not even sure anyone is reading it. So, I suppose it's just for me and that's okay. Perhaps someone, someday will stumble across it. It'll never be one of the best blogs out there, but it's still mine and I'm okay with that.
Friday, December 26, 2008
City Noises
One thing I absolutely hate about living in the city is the noises. Hate it hate it hate it. I'll take crickets chirping in the country any freakin' day. I'll even listen to nasty little frogs croaking all night long. But, seriously, this is crazy. Our neighbor's dog has been barking ALL day long. It must be some little yappy dog. Ugh. Not that we live in a big city or anything, but we live one block from the bus station and about 3 blocks from a hospital. Tonight I have been listening to yappy dog, car alarms going off, sirens, and cars all day long! Crazy!!!!
I'll take a crying baby in the country ANY day!
I'll take a crying baby in the country ANY day!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Changing Directions
So many times over the past week or so, I've thought...oh I need to start a blog about this or that. So, I'm changing directions. :)
Change is good. Change makes you grow. I like writing, but not always about breastfeeding. I do like talking about. But, sometimes I like talking about other things. Like how my co-workers make me angry. How the "uppers" make decisions that truly effect my job without considering it. How the "uppers" ask if I really need to order ink pens. Seriously. I'd like to talk about my family. My friends. My life...not just my boobs.
I'm sure that's fine with all of you...since I really don't think anyone reads this. But, it makes me feel good to write. So I do it.
Happy Reading about the rest of me!
Change is good. Change makes you grow. I like writing, but not always about breastfeeding. I do like talking about. But, sometimes I like talking about other things. Like how my co-workers make me angry. How the "uppers" make decisions that truly effect my job without considering it. How the "uppers" ask if I really need to order ink pens. Seriously. I'd like to talk about my family. My friends. My life...not just my boobs.
I'm sure that's fine with all of you...since I really don't think anyone reads this. But, it makes me feel good to write. So I do it.
Happy Reading about the rest of me!
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Banned
So, I was banned from a breastfeeding group on yahoo. Why you ask? I'm gullible. I joined another "website" that is supposed to keep track of all of your groups. I had a gut feeling it was a hoax and I went against it. A couple of days ago, the group I'm on says not to join this other website, it's a hoax. I feel gullible (not the first time, not the last), but I get over it. Fully thinking, what's in the past is in the past. This must be a warning for the future. Yeah, they won't kick me off. I had no idea.
Then, I get this incredibly rude (if you're reading, yes it was rude and hurtful) e-mail saying I had been banned. Why can a sleep-deprived, over-worked, socially-deprived mom not make a mistake? Seriously people. Get over yourselves. Get a grip. And guess what? If you're that quick to give someone the boot, I don't need you. It sounds like I need some attachment parenting moms to sweep me up and realize that people make mistakes -- even if they're breastfeeding!
Ugh!!!
Then, I get this incredibly rude (if you're reading, yes it was rude and hurtful) e-mail saying I had been banned. Why can a sleep-deprived, over-worked, socially-deprived mom not make a mistake? Seriously people. Get over yourselves. Get a grip. And guess what? If you're that quick to give someone the boot, I don't need you. It sounds like I need some attachment parenting moms to sweep me up and realize that people make mistakes -- even if they're breastfeeding!
Ugh!!!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Breastfeeding! Pumping! On TV! Primetime!
Okay, so we're not really sitcom type of people, but I was just hanging out last night when the Worst Week came on. I'm not even sure what channel it's on...but it was great! In the first five minutes of the show, they not only talked about pumping -- THEY FREAKIN' SHOWED A MOMMA PUMPING!!!!!
Well, it went south a minute when the pumping character's soon-to-be-brother-in-law walked in on her. He did go on to say he thought "breastfeeding was beautiful." A little bit later, the momma was breastfeeding!!!!! Yes, on the show -- breastfeeding!!! It went way south here since he had a bird in his pocket, which sort of looked like he was getting too excited.
Overall, I was totally not offended. He ended up punching the bird (sorry PETA, breastfeeding humans wins AGAIN!) because the momma and her mom were getting a little freaked out. But, it really was, I think, just supposed to poke fun of those who think breastfeeding is anything sexual.
This guy did go on to try on momma's pump. By the way, it was a Medela PIS Advanced (the best I could tell from the bag & the pump). Again, not really offensive.
I'm so excited there is a show, however corny it may be, that showed pumping & breastfeeding in it.
Well, it went south a minute when the pumping character's soon-to-be-brother-in-law walked in on her. He did go on to say he thought "breastfeeding was beautiful." A little bit later, the momma was breastfeeding!!!!! Yes, on the show -- breastfeeding!!! It went way south here since he had a bird in his pocket, which sort of looked like he was getting too excited.
Overall, I was totally not offended. He ended up punching the bird (sorry PETA, breastfeeding humans wins AGAIN!) because the momma and her mom were getting a little freaked out. But, it really was, I think, just supposed to poke fun of those who think breastfeeding is anything sexual.
This guy did go on to try on momma's pump. By the way, it was a Medela PIS Advanced (the best I could tell from the bag & the pump). Again, not really offensive.
I'm so excited there is a show, however corny it may be, that showed pumping & breastfeeding in it.
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