For anyone with experience with tubes in thier child's ears and/or a tonsilectomy

[msmichellemiller]

Before I put up my list of questions I figure that first I will see if there's even anyone frequenting this board that has already gone thru this....I'm posting kinda late. The procedures are to be done early in the morning, but I'm feeling pretty apprehensive now that the time is drawing near!

[FamilyGal]

My youngest daughter, who is now thirteen had her tonsils taken out when she about four. She was snoring A LOT and LOUD, plus she had constant throat infections. The procedure was outpatient and we had a very good experience with it.

My oldest son, her twin brother, had tubes put in his ears when he was four. He had constant ear infections and I was practically begging the doctor to put tubes in. She ignored us, but one day there was a doctor filling in for her. That doctor IMMEDIATELY commented on the scarring in his ears and scheduled him to have tubes put in within a week. I was SO thankful. Again, the procedure went very well, BUT it took FIVE YEARS of speech therapy to undo the effects of years of fluid on his ears.

My HUSBAND had tubes put in his ears at age 35 because of frequent ear infections. At age 38, he had the tubes removed, because they were actually causing frequent infections at that point. He was still getting chronic ear infections, and this past summer he had a choleosteoma removed from his ears. (Non cancerous tumor) This was what was apparently causing the chronic ear infections because it was holding fluid in the ears. They removed the tumor, repaired his torn eardrum and reconstructed the bones and whatnot in his ear (how do you like that medical terminology? LOL). If gone unnoticed, the tumor was secreting enzymes that were eating through the bones of his ear, causing permanent hearing loss, but would have also eaten through the skull allowing the infection into his brain. It was an outpatient surgery, but was a BIG deal. It took him a full six weeks to heal. More like 8-9 weeks. He still has permanent hearing loss, but so far, no infections and just slight drainage.

We SO know ear problems. :(

[FamilyGal]

Don't feel apprehensive. This procedure is VERY common. And as long as you follow the doctor's advice and don't let them eat anything rough (chips, popcorn, etc..), they will be fine. Why are they having it? Throat infections? Ear infections? How old is the child having it?

[Wilson]

I understand that the ear tubes are fairly minor when it comes to surgery. Is your child having their adnoids removed during the tonsillectomy? My neighbor's daughter did about a year ago and they've seen a lot of improvement with her breathing & illnesses (she's pretty much allergic to Texas :p). The tonsils were a little more involved than the ear tubes, of course, but it was a fun recovery (jello & such) according to her dd.

Best of luck - I know how scary it can be to put your child under for even the most minor procedure. The used anesthesia on my oldest at the early part of this year for some major dental work and I just did not feel prepared for it.

[Wilson]

How did it go yesterday? I'm hoping you guys came through okay and your child is healing quickly.

[msmichellemiller]

Whew! It's over and we are now home as of 5 AM this morning! Thanks for the replies, it's good to have people to talk to at times like this.
My 4 year old had a tonsilectomy and adenoidectomy. He was a big-time snorer and had sleep apnea that has kept my DH and I awake in panic far too many times over the years. The doc said his tonsils were so large that they blocked about 90% of his throat! Glad they are gone now and am feeling good about getting it over with before the upcoming cold/flu season.
I feel the worst part was the anesthesia. I even peeked at his chart when they first let us come back and see him after the procedure and it said "notify MD patient had trouble breathing when coming out of anesthesia"!!!! They were holding oxygen up to him, so I guess that's why. I suppose they didn't mention it to us to keep me from panicking and the nurse did quickly snatch up the chart when she saw me looking at it! He was very nauseated for a while but after a good 4 hr sleep-off in recovery, he seemed more like himself again.
Now I'm just having a little guilt over the fact that he was completely healthy and happy just before this and is now suffering in pain because we had this done to him. I knew it's for the best, but still...can't help the guilt part. I just sent DH off to the store with a list for what he's to be eathing the next couple of weeks and just keep looking at the positive that each day will improve. One thing that confused me: He is still snoring. It isn't the kind of snoring he used to have where he'd stop breathing for like 10 seconds....but still snoring. I thought that would quit altogether with no adenoids and no tonsils, but maybe I'm wrong. Or maybe it's swelling or something?

Now my littlest one, 1yr, had adenoids removed and tubes put in. He was able to go home with Dad after the procedure and I didn't see them holding oxygen up to his face when he was brought out. He was screaming and they said it was the confusion and anesthesia making him be that way. Heartbreaking, but after getting to hold and rock him for a while he settled down before going home. He's 100% himself now, 24 hrs later, but they said that his procedure would not cause the soreness that his older brother would be having. He is at the age where he's just learning to talk, so I'm hoping we are preventing any speech delays by getting it done now.

I have to say I wasn't impressed with the Surgery Center of The Woodlands. Nurses were very nice, but I just don't think they are equipped well to handle the patients that have to stay overnight. I was basically on my own all night long with taking care of my son. There were just two young nurses and nobody else in the building from 8pm until we were discharged at 5am. They were nowhere to be found when I did need assistance, as my son was vomiting a lot and I had trouble getting him back and forth to the bathroom in down the hallway with all his cords and IV tubes. Also, when different alarms on his monitors went off...no one ever came to check on him! Maybe I'm asking too much? I don't know. I know with good insurance, we still had to plunk down an additional 600 bucks for both of them just to pay for the Surgery Center's services and I feel that I did all of the care-giving myself!

Sorry for the super long post, I guess I had a lot to say on this one!

Anyway, I'm greatful all is okay now. It's over, my boys are happy to be back together in the comfort of thier own home and each day my babies will feel better.

[Wilson]

Omgoodness! I didn't realise that you were talking about 2 children! You poor mom! My guess is that your 4yo's snoring is still going to happen at least during the healing process, but I think a call to the doc wouldn't hurt. How did you get hooked up with the Surgery Center of The Woodlands? I haven't even heard of it - is it something through your ped or ENT or something?

Big {{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}} to you and your family. I hope both your boys are 100% soon.

[msmichellemiller]

It was where we were instructed to go by the ENT's office. Jeffery Chimenti, that's his name. The center itself is not like a hospital. One small building. I believe that the majority of the surgeries done there are outpatient, and they have a whole floor that is sports medicine. There was only one private room and one semi private for "extended care" so that's why I figure that they don't have patients stay overnight very often. We got the private room at least; they said it was because he was the only little boy for the night. I was ill-prepared because I had expected it to be more like a hospital and planned on getting myself something to eat in a cafeteria or something. Nope...just a vending machine in the lobby and they only had pudding cups and ice chips for my son. I would definitely not want to return there for anything that requires staying overnight! And like I already said, I was really on my own most of the time. They'd take his temp and bring his meds when it was time, but that's the extent of it. I must be spoiled from all my stays in hospitals when I've had babies, but I still say we payed an awful lot for virtually no assistance in recovery.

[FamilyGal]

Chimenti is our ENT as well. We have had really good experiences with him. Up until my husband's surgery, he was solely his ENT, but the surgery required a specialist. Hopefully, we won't be having to visit him nearly as often.

[baby duck]

Oh my goodness!! You poor thing! I'm very angry that this wasn't done at a hospital, especially since you were held overnight for recovery.:mad: I guess I've been spoiled when procedures were done on Little Bit. Of course, my only baby is a preemie, so my frame of reference is skewed.

I know it is hard when they are hurting, but you did what was best for him in the long run. Try not to feel guilty.

[msmichellemiller]

Babyduck...I did notice somewhere on another thread that you had talked about your child and his/her progress. I was curious what the deal was, but didn't want to be too nosy as a 'newbie'.
My youngest was born more than 5 weeks early. He was only 5.5 lbs and a little sickly when born, but did not require more than a few days staying, so I don't consider him a 'preemie'.
I remember thinking about women who have real preemies when I was as worried as I was over mine. At least mine was okay for a runt.
What, if you don't mind me asking, was your experience?
And thanks for the empathizing over my situation! I feel like it should have been hospitalization, too, in hindsight. That center was definitley not equipped to handle the needs of mothers and children and I also thought that maybe I was just 'spoiled' from past experience. Now I realize that this was just not the way to go for two young ones and for what we and our insurance co paid, ........well. Hindsight. I litterally provided all the care for my son the entire night. I could have done it all at home if I had an IV drip, because that is basically the only thing they provided I could not do myself.

[msmichellemiller]

Chimenti is our ENT as well. We have had really good experiences with him. Up until my husband's surgery, he was solely his ENT, but the surgery required a specialist. Hopefully, we won't be having to visit him nearly as often.
You didn't find him a little bit strange? I have not visited a lot of ENT's but I felt that wierd thing he wears on his head was a little imtimidating to my kids and his fingers always smelled funny to me. (I only smelled his fingers because I'd be holding my children in my lap as he examined them, but they reminded me of the smell of the inside of a belly button) :p
I hope it's just some special soap he uses. I'm sure it is. Still. He gave me the heebie jeebies a little bit. I refer to him as 'DR Demented' when my DH and I discuss him. He also turned me off a little bit when I had genuine 'worried mom' questions for him reguarding the upcoming surgeries and he basically told me I was too much in my head and had no idea how it would really go down. This was when I had asked if it were possible for me to be with my sons until they were asleep.
After going thru the experience, I know what he meant. At the time he said it beforehand, I was sort of like...whoa. You're awfully rude and have no bedside manner.
I'm sure he's nice. Still comes off as a little wierd to me, though. Perhaps it's cause he's not a Pediatrical ENT. He's probably used to dealing with grown folks and no worried moms.

[Wilson]

I think all of that would send me running! But I've been known to be a little picky...

[baby duck]

michelle - I don't mind repeating my story; if I did I shouldn't hint at it, should I?

Little Bit is a 28 weeker. She was born here at Memorial Hermann, and even though they told me that she would be life-flighted downtown, they changed their minds after she was born and kept her there. I am eternally grateful for this, as it made it so much easier to visit her. She was in the NICU for three months, and I could be with her 22 hours a day if I wanted. Only times that parents are restricted from being there is during shift change. (Because it is an open floor and they discuss patients with their relief and NICU parents can be horribly nosy:D).

She was 1 lb 6 oz and 11 inches long. We haven't had any major medical problems; she had a kidney specialist because she had kidney stones, and we've been referred to and released from Texas Children's twice for different things. Her major issue is that she gains weight very slowly. Even when she was released from the NICU, she weighed 3 lbs 14 oz. I had to beg them to let us go home. (By that time, there was nothing wrong with her that couldn't be treated outpatient). They were afraid that she would catch a cold and would wind up back in the hospital because she had no excess weight on her. She was on a heart monitor when she came home, and I was a militant mommy for the first year, but she's doing very well now(20 mos and 18 lbs).

Welcome to the Woodlands. Maybe Little Bit and I will get to see you at lunch sometime.

[11Linda11]

I know one thing and that is Little Bit is absolutely adorable.

She's one of those children that you just want to hug, she's so cute!
And having been through so much already...

[11Linda11]

Michelle, I can't believe you had to go through all that!

What a shame.

[Wilson]

I have to agree! I'd be livid at this doc - he should have known better!

[msmichellemiller]

Well....you live and learn, I guess. Now I know better than to put blind faith into the professionals and have that much more experience now to back myself up. Not that I want to have to bring my kids thru something like this again; if I do, I know what to do differently.

[Wilson]

I totally agree - I don't think that *you* could have done anything differently - it's that doctor who has been through this before and should have been a little more forthcoming about what to expect and recommended the overnight stay at the hospital! Moms should not always have to "live and learn" with things like this - it's not like we're the professionals ;). Doctors aren't perfect, by any means, I just feel like in this case he totally dropped the ball with your care. {{{hugs}}}

[baby duck]

Yep. Ditto what Wilson said.

And Linda - I'll let you hug Little Bit next time you see her.:D

[FamilyGal]

Now I know better than to put blind faith into the professionals

This is why it took so long for my oldest son to ever get tubes put in. I kept trusting that the doctor knew what was best. He had repeated ear infections and scarring from the infections. She kept saying that he hadn't had enough to warrant tubes, but the one day she was out and someone else saw him, they scheduled the surgery for the next week! As I mentioned before, it took YEARS to undo the speech problems. I sure wish I had listened to my gut.

[msmichellemiller]

Well, I'll give yall an update on the boys: Rex, my 1 yr baby, was practically back to normal within 48 hrs. Rocko, my 4 yr old, was a little woozy and nauseated/weak for two days. Not wanting to eat much and resented me each time I came at him with some water, that I was told to push.
By day 3 though, he was more himself. Even suprised me how much he'd wanted to eat already. Broke my heart when he'd ask me for a favorite like pizza and I didn't feel it'd be good for his healing throat yet.

He is getting favorites like oatmeal, pudding and soups. He has quit snoring now; I was worried when I first heard him still snore the first few days but I guess it was just from healing, 'cause now it's gone completely. Thank goodness the days of pacing while he snores so badly that he stops breathing for 10 secs or more are gone!
The boy is probably getting a quality of sleep he's never had before and I'm thankful it's done a year before he starts school.

[11Linda11]

That's great news.

[baby duck]

I'm glad they are doing better.

[Midlifemama]

I'm glad to hear your kids are doing well.

Years ago, my daughter had tubes put in when she was 1. It did relieve the pressure from the ear infections, but there have been some effects. The tubes eventually "popped" out within a few years as she grew. But sometimes the hole would reopen if she had another ear infection. She also experiences ear pain when flying (takes Sudafed usually) and she can't dive to the bottom of the pool. Nothing critical, just minor annoyances.

[Bonkers]

My kiddo had horrible ear infections! His pediatrician was one that thought tubes were unnecessary and had me doing all sorts of other stuff for him. His first molars came in, and he had to have them surgically removed due to the fluid from his ears leaking into his jawbone and infecting them before they even erupted. You would have thought that was the last straw....but no, my son developed a cyst on his jawbone - I was terrified it was cancer.

Nope, jsut impacted lymph nodes full of infection. My poor baby was miserable the first two years of his life. We had tubes put in three different times at Cook Children's in Ft Worth. They would fall out in a matter of a few months.

We moved here when Caleb was five and started seeing Dr Chimenti. He removed his adnoids, tonsils and put steel tubes in.

That was four years ago and he hasn't had one ear infection since! His adnoids were so large there was no way to NOT remove them. He still has one tube in, one has since fallen out, the other will eventually...but this kid can actually SWIM now!

He has some permanent hearing loss, but nothing to worry about really. I remember the hearing test before his surgery and his hearing was only at 25% in one ear - don't remember the other....but there was so much scar tissue from the ear drums bursting, I was terrified he would be deaf!

It always pays to get second and third opinions. I struggled with doing the surgery so much because of his first pediatricians beliefs....not mine as a mom looking at my son in so much pain. :( He had me ordering books and videos off of websites on massage and healing oils...all of which made me feel that much more insecure about my own parenting skills - none of his ideas worked for me, spending hours massaging him at night while he screamed in pain...though he said for countless others they worked and replaced surgery! :o

Funny - that pediatrician in Ft Worth (his original one) was so miffed that I took him to an ENT, he called me in to discuss it. He made me wait over an hour (on my lunch break), then he spent five min with me and told me he didn't feel he could see my children anymore if I didn't trust him. I agreed. Then he had the nerve to charge me for an hour office visit!!! My son wasn't even there! :mad:

Glad your babies are well now! You made the right choices!

[msmichellemiller]

How awful for your son and you to have to go through! OMG! It's comforting to see that the same ENT that operated on my sons is the same one that finally brought resolution to your son's issues.
I have a question, "tube-parents"! We're 3 weeks post op. Already had the 2 week checkup and brought this up, but I'm asking you guys for my 'second opinion' because parents with experience can be just as helpful as a costly question to a doc! When I q-tip my baby's ears after bath (and I don't insert it, just outer area) the q-tip looks muddy-reddish-brown. The doc said it's normal, but I want to know if others have seen this with their own kids and know what I'm talking about.

[Bonkers]

Yes, that is normal, the reason - well...is gross....

My son had so much ear "gunk" all the time which of course led to the infections. Allergies make it worse as well as colds and flus. The tubes literally are inserted into the eardrum to release the pressure of this "gunk" building up. So...it drains out of the ear instead! It is nasty at times, I remember one particular time when my son woke up with his hair crusted to his cheek from ear drainage, it was running down his neck! :eek:

BUT!!! It was much better to wipe it away than to have it build up in his ear drum which would rupture with the pressure!

They recommended him to start allergy meds as well as nasal drops during the bad months - it helped the ear gunk considerably!

[FamilyGal]

steel tubes

With all of the probelms my husband had with ear infections and his tubes, (then eventually major surgery), I can't believe we have never heard of steel tubes.

Your old dr. was an ASS Bonkers (not that you don't already know that). Our first pediatrician didn't think my sons ear infections were frequent enough to warrant tubes either. Thankfully, she was gone one day and her replacement immediately saw the need. It took five years of speech therapy because of her not seeing a need. Grrrr.