When almonds and polyps have to come out – mom and dad report – the danners

So that was such a week that we were all pretty busy with ourselves. And it was one of the most emotional weeks as a family. Theo was in the hospital for tonsil surgery. So to be precise: Theo the polyps were removed and the tonsils shortened because he always had air problems when he fell asleep and several doctors have strongly recommended this. We were not happy about it. Such an operation is no small thing. And mom and dad don’t have very good memories of their almond surgeries 25 years ago. But in this quarter of a century since we were in elementary school, a little something has been done in medicine. As the doctors tell us, almonds are now mostly shortened and not completely removed, so that the protective function of the almonds per se continues to be maintained. In addition, cutting is no longer carried out today, but laser cutting – at least that is the explanation of the doctors, which we have heard several times.

So we know that it is routine intervention. It’s over quickly. And Theo will be much better breathing afterwards when falling asleep. We decide in the family council that Theo and Mama will go to the hospital for an estimated three days, Noah and Papa will take care of the outside and stay at home. So much for the rational. The dog at it: Now there is the emotional too. And we adults experienced that a little differently.

From mom’s point of view (before the operation):

Guys, I tell you: last week I had the hardest hours of my life so far. Yes, I know, an almond surgery is now a routine procedure, but if you have to watch your child being pushed into the operating room and stand absolutely helplessly when it wakes up from anesthesia, that’s really, really bad.

A tip in advance: Always get a second opinion, we have heard many times now that an allergy can trigger the same symptoms and so you should definitely do an allergy test in advance.

Theo is not allergic and in order to make his life easier in the future, we decided on the operation.

Luckily, a friend of Theo’s kindergarten is in the same situation and proudly told Theo that the tonsils were cut with a laser – so the fear was gone and they both felt like superheroes …

We can recommend this book to anyone who still has it in front of them,that is available here in the online version.

We chose the university clinic in St. Pölten – simply because we didn’t have to wait months for an appointment.

The day before the operation, we have to be in the hospital by 8 a.m., everything is exciting for Theo. So we run from one station to the next – up to anesthesia, where Theo is explained the anesthetic as best as possible. The only concern he has is the cannula that he gets in his arm, but even that is only done when the child falls asleep before the operation. In addition, the children also get so-called “magic plasters” – the armpits are anesthetized locally with an ointment so that the puncture no longer hurts.

Theo is enthusiastic about the hospital, especially because there is a play area on the ward and a TV in the room … &# 128521;

the best thing about the hospital: a lot of cuddling and watching TV

The evening before the operation, we learn that Theo comes first in the morning. Theo falls asleep the night before the operation stone, I don’t close my eyes, the excitement and the doubts are too big whether we have made the right decision.

From dad’s perspective:

So Noah and I plan to visit Theo and Mama in the hospital as often as possible. After the two are out of the house before we even get up, Noah enjoys full attention when getting up, getting dressed, having breakfast, and brushing teeth. When I take him to kindergarten for the morning, we are already experiencing the first change. Suddenly Noah cries when he goes in, which he has not done for a long time. He now loves kindergarten almost like his second home. But then someone will notice a certain tension.

After the afternoon nap I pick it up again – it was all good and Noah is looking forward to the “Tuuuu, tuuuu”, the train with which we – as discussed at breakfast – visit Theo and Mama in the hospital. Before that, we get the current highlight of the boys with every purchase – a shoot&Drinking cola (for all moralists: yes, there is sugar in it, but no, of course no caffeine, no carbon dioxide) – and Noah is very happy to give Theo his bottle at the bedside. We turn the play corner upside down in the hospital and press Theo firmly again in the evening before we leave. In a few hours Theo is being operated on – that is not a good feeling. Noah is looking forward to a night alone with dad in the big bed, I can’t sleep – no-na-ned.

From mom’s point of view (at the operation):

At 6:30 a.m. the nurse comes and measures Theo’s temperature and again leaves we have a mug with calming juice, which Theo has to take half an hour later – in preparation for the operation.
My God, I’m nervous – I can throw up. I stay as calm as possible and we read a few more stories. Brushing his teeth and Theo proudly puts on his surgical pajamas.

Shortly before seven I give him the pink juice, Theo says, it is completely disgusting, although it actually smells really good and we continue reading in the dinosaur book. Theo relaxes 15 minutes later and his eyes keep falling. It is also difficult for him to speak – I feel miserable, but I am glad that the juice calms down Theo and he does not have to be afraid.

Finally we are picked up: Theo driving in bed, I run alongside. In the anteroom of the operating room we have to wait until everything is ready, then a nurse carries Theo in. I can still see how Theo can choose a green surgical cap, then the doors close – and I start to cry.

The worst one and a half hours of my life begin. Because I can only wait. Another mom tells me that I should have something to eat and have a coffee, so that afterwards I have the strength to carry Theo around if he wants to and I can only eat something again if Theo is allowed to. So I choke down a jam roll and wait.

my outlook for the next 90 minutes

The anesthetist told me in advance that the wake-up time for children after anesthesia takes different lengths of time and that I shouldn’t freak out outside the operating room if it takes longer. Easier said than done. I could go crazy after an hour. But then the operating room door opens.

From dad’s perspective:

The most disturbing thing for me: a call where I only hear Theo whining and crying in the background. I brought Noah to kindergarten for two hours, but I don’t have to go to work and went running to get a little different thoughts. With my cell phone permanently in my hand, I read a WhatsApp from my wife after every running kilometer: "Not yet out of the OR".

The call comes exactly when I walk past my two loudly barking “favorite” dogs at a farm somewhere. I don’t remember what Christina said. Just how Theo sounded in the background. That was not very edifying.

My wife calls again when Theo has fallen asleep again with painkillers. It doesn’t sound good this time. This is also not edifying. Noah takes his afternoon nap at home. I can’t go to the hospital. So at home we just feel helpless. As soon as Noah is awake again, we want to go to the hospital.

From mom’s point of view (after the operation):

When Theo is pushed out, he cries and wails bitterly. He yells at me: "It hurt so much!" He is terribly angry and upset. Normally after anesthesia, I am told. The children are not quite there yet and react very differently. In any case, I cry with Theo, I feel so helpless. I hold him tight, carry him across the room and try to just be there – I can’t do more. The nurse brings us an infusion against the pain and cooling pads for the neck. Theo falls asleep again and I cry on the phone.

Theo after the operation

Theo is very sleepy for the next few hours and we cuddle a lot. But it gets better every hour and thanks to painkillers he can drink and eat again soon.

Tip: There is a refrigerator on the ward, where you can cool your own drinks and food. After the operation, the children should mainly eat cool and soft things: ice cream, fruit gnomes, yoghurt, everything the child likes to eat and drink – that can also happen. Theo doesn’t eat much, but at least a little bit of white soft bread and yogurt. And thanks to Noah, he drinks a spin and a drink – it goes uphill.

From dad’s perspective:

Noah and I are rather the unwelcome guests. Although Noah cheers every time I ask him if we are going to visit Theo in the hospital – Theo should be quite stressful with our visit. So on the day of the operation, I lay down on his bedside and let him tell me how he experienced it. Meanwhile, Noah (the little brother, who could otherwise steal his full attention and attention a bit) is playing with mom in the hospital play corner.

Theo has no taste for the many types of ice cream that we (or rather Noah) selected and brought with him at the supermarket around the corner – he wants spaghetti Bolognese, he says. According to the nurse, this is not yet possible. But she says we could take him a cheeseburger tomorrow. After the fast food chain with the big M is quite high on our lads’ hit list, Noah and I bring a happy meal on day 2 after the operation. We make ourselves popular for a short time. Theo is still happy when we go back every night. The undivided attention of mom, who is of course not there when Noah and Papa are also in the room, is granted. We find it a bit of a shame anyway, because Noah is actually so heartily happy when he is allowed to visit Theo in the hospital. But mutual brotherly love will come back again.

From mom’s point of view (post-surgery recovery):

It is unbelievable how quickly children can take such an intervention. Certainly Theo still has to take painkillers regularly and especially in the morning it hurts for a few days. The mouth dries out at night and that’s why it hurts the longest in the morning, the doctors tell us. Nevertheless, on the second day after the operation, Theo would like to romp around with Maxi, his kindergarten friend who comes to visit us with his mom in the hospital. But he mustn’t: Running and jumping is not allowed for at least ten days because of the risk of bleeding – a big challenge, because it is not great if you have to brake your child permanently.

He feels better every day and after three nights we can finally go home. Theo is sad, he would rather stay in the hospital, he says, because he was allowed to watch TV as much as never before and because I had so much time for him. It hurts a bit. But when Theo sees all his toys again, the world is all right again. I don’t need to mention that we’ve been eating spaghetti bolognese every day, or?

Packing list for a few days hospital with child:

  • comfortable clothes – also for you as an accompanying person
  • Towels and hair dryer
  • for your child pajamas with quite wide sleeves: to get to the cannula more easily
  • a lot of reading material both for reading out and for you: especially in the evening when your child is sleeping
  • Games and toys: especially soft toys to cuddle and hold on to, but board games are also great, and I can also highly recommend the TipToi pen
  • Possibly a tablet with internet access: in classic TV programs you can’t control the content as well as on Netflix and Co. And especially in the first hours after the operation, that’s the only distraction that really works …
  • Cold soft food, no fruit for your child – but you can also have it brought up to you
  • Insider tip: soft burgers go relatively quickly if your child is more of a spicy type, like our Theo &# 128521;

RELATED ITEMS

Like this post? Please share to your friends:
Christina Cherry
Leave a Reply

;-) :| :x :twisted: :smile: :shock: :sad: :roll: :razz: :oops: :o :mrgreen: :lol: :idea: :grin: :evil: :cry: :cool: :arrow: :???: :?: :!: