Here’s the before picture. It’s too early to get an after picture just now, but rest assured – they’re out. We’ve checked.
Do you see his tonsils pushing up against both sides of his uvula? I had to double check the medical term for the hangy ball (remember when the Tanners called it that on Full House?) as I was unsure of the correct term. Uvula sounded like a reproductive organ to me.
Let me back up to Thursday night. We met my mom and Jude went with her to stay for an e-x-t-e-n-d-e-d weekend. Josh and I took Jett shopping at Target to pick out a few toys and treats for after surgery.
Friday morning we arrived at the surgery center around 6:40 am. We were checked in and shortly after met with the surgeon, anesthesiologist, and nurses to go over questions and expectations post-surgery. Soon, it was time for Jett to march off to surgery with the anesthesiologist. He did so gladly – giving Josh and I kisses and hugs and ‘I love yous’ before waving goodbye. I didn’t know if I’d be emotional, but I wasn’t – he was an unafraid big boy. Plus, he was feeling confident after having won a battle: he refused to wear the space-themed gown they gave him to wear. We fought to get it on him before the doctor came in and said he didn’t have to wear it if he didn’t want to. He was much more happy going off to surgery in his diaper and socks.
Josh and I waited in the waiting room full of parents and other young ones awaiting surgery. After approximately 20 minutes, the doctor was ready to give us a report about how surgery went. It seemed really quick! They had put him under, yanked the tonsils and adenoids, and got him out of surgery in that short amount of time.
One of the first things the doctor told us was that his tonsils were really big; his sores were going to be bigger and possibly more uncomfortable than the typical tonsillectomy. He said that everything went smoothly and Jett did great. He told us the nurses would call us when they got Jett into a recovery room, which ended up being another 15 minutes later.
Josh and I were waiting in the recovery room for him just before he was brought in. I heard Jett crying from down the hall – I could tell a nurse was trying to get that stupid space-gown back on him so I went out into the hall and told her we didn’t need it. He was pretty groggy and out-of-it, but snuggled up quickly with Josh; he just wanted to sleep and rest his head.
Early on in the recovery room, Jett began feeling uncomfortable, crying and getting restless – then puked all over Josh’s shoulder and down his back. It was yucky blood and other mucus that he’d swallowed during surgery. The good news was that it made him feel better and he began resting more comfortably than ever. He was interested in ice chips, but not much else, he just wanted to lay his head on the pillow against Josh.
Jett was so drowsy and sleepy that we waited a little longer in the recovery room than what was typical, but altogether it was only 1 hour and 45 minutes total. By the time we carried him out of there he was starting to perk up. He was alert the whole way home and didn’t end up sleeping or napping at all that first day!
He asked for food and drank PLENTY of liquids all day. We were very pleased with that after being warned that it might be difficult to get him to drink enough. He also acted pretty normal. We had bought a School House Rock DVD the day before and he watched a lot of that. There were two different times of the day when he began to get restless and needed to get out of the house. Each time his restlessness occurred right before he was due for more Tylenol. The first time he bugged Josh to, “GET UP! LET’S GET OUT OF HERE! C’MON! DAD! JOSH!” Josh asked him where he wanted to go and without hesitation Jett said, “Save big money at the Nards.” AKA Menards. Both of our children seem to think their slogan IS the full name of the store. Why on earth would he want to go there? I’m not quite sure. Josh did consent to take him somewhere, but they just stuck around town and went to the grocery store for a few more treats.
His in-town grandparents came for a visit that evening with toys and the promise that if he was still feeling well the next day, he could come and visit their house.
Jett asked to go to bed shortly after 9 pm – we wanted to keep him up until at least 9 to get one last dose of Tylenol with codeine before he went to sleep.
The kid slept peacefully the whole night through. Around the 2 am hour – when he would have been able to take more pain meds – he coughed lightly. I sprung up and waited by his bedside with the meds and a glass of water, but he didn’t even want to lift his head for water; he was partially awake at best. I just left him alone and he indeed slept the night through.
The next morning, he climbed in bed with Josh and I and was quite chatty and in good spirits. Lots of, “Mom, Dad, I love you,” as sincere as could be. Speaking of sweet words, or talking in general, Jett’s voice is different. I was prepared for that, but his voice is so high-pitched and different right now. Maybe after he heals completely he’ll sound even more different, but it’s taking some getting used to. In fact, the first day, we could tell that he was talking to himself a lot – just to hear his new voice, it seemed.
Saturday he was pretty hyper and acting normal the whole day. Josh had to look in his throat for the first time to make sure the tonsils were gone – that’s how ‘perfectly fine’ he was.
Right before bed, we tried to get him to take his medicine again. It was torture. He has an antibiotic that he takes twice a day; it’s no problem taking that one, it’s bubble-gum flavored and refrigerated, he asks for it. But, the yucky one is the Tylenol with codeine. It’s apparently very foul-tasting. We also have regular children’s liquid Tylenol which is grape-flavored and he likes that, too. After giving him many different options as far as which meds to take first – with water? juice? a piece of soft taffy? – and refusing every option, we mixed all of the medicines together and held him down, forcing it into his mouth. We felt so badly for him, but we knew that he was probably starting to feel the pain and that the meds would be the only thing to really help him feel better. He went to bed shortly after and again slept the whole night through.
For the most part, it’s been an easy and great recovery, but we’re thinking this still might be the calm before the storm. We’ve heard that some kids have the toughest time a week or so after surgery before getting completely over it. We’re optimistic but also prepared for the worst.
It’s been great not having Jude here. Jett’s recovery could be so much more complex with them roughhousing and getting too wild. Any strenuous activity is not recommended until at least 10 days after surgery. I’m hoping I don’t have to keep them in separate rooms when Jude comes back home. I do miss Jude, but it’s so easy only looking after one of them!
Oh yeah, one strange phenomenon since surgery, Jett’s been walking
backwards A LOT! We have no idea what that’s all about. He’ll turn around and walk backwards into the kitchen. He was just dancing backwards in the kitchen and Josh took a little video of it – I’ll post it later. We haven’t been watching any Michael Jackson coverage, so I doubt it’s related to moon-walking, but what is it all about? The “condition” wasn’t on any surgery handouts.
Thanks, everyone, for your prayers and concern about our little Jettster.