Sydney & Glue Ear

Well, I guess since I am so far behind in posting, I need to start somewhere!
So, here it goes!
For the past 6 months or so, Sydney has been getting ear infection after ear infection followed by a sinus infection! It's not like they never went away but they kept coming back! Finally the pediatrician (Mary Ann Jacob) suggested we see an ENT (Ear Nose Throat) doctor. I was a bit nervous but thought it was a good idea. Dr. Jacob explained it could be nothing, but she thought it was better to see a doctor that specialized in this area instead of keep feeding more antibotics to poor Sydney! She is a trooper though, she never complained! We asked around for a good doctor. I thought, OK for once I should see a doctor in the Valley. Someone was recommended but after hearing nothing but BAD things about this guy, I thought, there is a reason I huff it to ANC. Anyway, a doctor was recommended. Creed Mamikunian I made the appointment, everything went smooth! His office was very impressive, clean, no clutter, the room where we met the doctor was huge, it had a chair, similar to the dentist. TV and lots of tools. Anyway, he walks in, very nice attractive man..... and very good with kids by the way! Has Sydney sit in the chair and takes a peek in both ears ... here is the COOL part! He put this tip in her ear and pulls over the microscope camera and we can see her ear on TV. He saw a chunk of wax, grabed a tool and took it out without Sydney even knowing what he did. That right there, I WAS SOLD.... Ear Wax and my kids are TRAUMA.... pinned down, crying UGh I could go on! But, once the ear was clean of wax he could see a discoloration in the ear. Which means GLUE EAR!! He looked at the other ear and nothing... clear!!!
He then showed me a video of him removing the glue ear in another patient. It was sooo cool to see. They made a small incision in the ear, and basically SUCKED out a fluid in the ear that is a thick consistancy of glue. Once removed, you insert a tube!! Peice of cake! This will only need to happen in her LEFT ear!
He also suggestioned removing her adenoids!! I was very concerned with all this news since we were leaving in 1 month for Hawaii. I asked him if this needed to be done ASAP, and he said, NO .... but she would be happier on an airplane if we did this NOW! So, I thought.... OK, I better do it, even if it means getting special plugs for her to swim on vacation!
Back to the glue ear... I think this is important and I want to educate those who may have the same problem!
*** Another clue is a child who snores heavily or who seems inattentive. If your child is a mouth breather, hyponasal voice, snores heavily or has sleep apnea, think of enlarged adenoids. This is another MAIN CAUSE of glue ear. ***
So, we went ahead with the surgery..... Sydney did awesome!!! Here is picture of her getting weighed!

The nurse was wonderful, Sydney was posing for me in her gown, she was watching Finding Nemo on the TV and playing with toys. The sleep medicine doctor came in and talked to her. All was good!


She chose which flavor of medicine she wanted to smell, (which put her to sleep) the doctor explained when she woke up she would have a straw in her hand to give her a drink and it was OK and not to take it out. Everyone was so wonderful. So, now it's time to take her to the operating room.... I held her hand, walked her down the hallway, took her to the door and gave her a hug and the nurse took her hand and that was it!! I turned around and got all teary eyed, because it finally HIT ME! I did ok, I never lost it. The nurse took me back to my things and then brought me upstairs to the waiting room. I don't think more than an hour passed and the doctor came up to see me that everything went GREAT!!! He did say her tonsils are large and he almost called me to have those removed as well. Hopefully those won't be a problem later. I was then able to see her in recovery!

She was sitting up, fighting the meds.... I finally got her to relax and lay back down. The machine reading her heartrate was so loud and once the nurse turned that down she was asleep for an hour. After reading my book, nervous as heck, she woke up once another paitent came out of surgery. The funny part that woke her, was this little boy, maybe 3 snoring, and LOUD! I got her dressed, the nurse helped us wheel her upstairs, I brought the car around and off we went. She seemed fine, no pain, not scared, but I was all prepared with towels and buckets in the car incase of vomit. Fortunatly, none of that! She slept the whole way home! Then when she woke up, after an hour of driving, she was alert, happy, like nothing happened! It was amazing!!! Recovery that day was easy too, she ate soft foods, but by dinner that night she wanted chicken with the rest of us!! I was sooo HAPPY!