Our first surgery!

(February 15, 2012)

Back in November we noticed that Taya's tonsils were enlarged..and I mean MASSIVE!!  She didn't have a cold, runny nose, strep..nothing...just enlarged tonsils.  I know my nephew has had enlarged tonsils for a while now so I knew they could be lived with as long as they weren't bothering her.  They made her snore like CRAZY but didn't seem to bother her any other way.  I had started to worry because I thought she might have gotten sleep apnea (stopping breathing while sleeping).  She would be snoring then there was silence..then she'd sorta jerk herself awake, gasp for breath, then be fine.  We talked to her pediatrician and he said to listen at night and see if we could time it and see how often it happened.  I never stayed with her all night but at different times in one night I counted three times.  I told her doc and he referred her to an ENT, Dr. Anderson.  He and his PA were AWESOME!  They both recommended getting her tonsils and adenoids removed.  

When Haylee was a year and a half we could hear her wheezing, and it had been happening for a while.  We took her to an ENT in Idaho Falls and he did a scope in his office.  He determined that she had tracheomalacia (her windpipe was slightly malformed so that when she breathed in the softer side went into her windpipe instead of away from).  He said most kids grow out of it and she should be checked in another 6 months. Well, we moved and hadn't found a steady doc for them by the time she was turning 2 so it didn't get checked.  We still noticed the wheezing and noise when she breathed so at her 3 year check-up I asked her pediatrician about it.  He sent us to the same ENT that Taya was going to.  Dr. Anderson wanted to do another scope on Haylee but this time she would need to be put asleep because they were going to be looking deeper in her throat and into her lungs.

We schedule Haylee and Peyton on the same day.  All our kids think going to the doctor is such a cool thing so they weren't scared at all about going to the hospital.  We explained to them many times beforehand what was going to happen but they were excited to go in!  The night before Cory and my dad gave them each a blessing and I am SO glad they did!  If nothing else, it calmed me down quite a bit!!  They were grateful for them but also grateful they could bring their comfort items with them!  Haylee had her blankie and Taya brought her Hippo and her "mankie."

Here they are showing off their "bracelets!" 

In the back waiting room playing with toys while waiting!!  They loved their little slippers!

We met with the doctor before either were put to sleep.  He explained the procedures to us.  He also brought in the nurse that would be there and the anesthesiologist.  They were both GREAT!  The anesthesiologist explained the anesthesia and asked if we had any questions.  They were all awesome!  

Haylee went back first.  She did not want to ride in the wagon, just wanted to walk with the anesthesiologist! Her scope took just about 20 minutes.  When she was still asleep but in the recovery section they came in and told us she did great and would be awake in a little bit.  That's when the anesthesiologist took Taya back.  She wanted to ride in the big wagon!!

After Taya was in a nurse came and took us to where we would be for recovery.  She said that Haylee was awake but would still be a few more minutes before she came out.  We waited and then we heard it..Haylee was screaming!!  If you know Haylee you know what a calm, tender, sweet girl she is.  However, if you REALLY KNOW Haylee, you know when she is mad, she is MAD and she can go from zero to 100 in a matter of seconds.  But, we heard Haylee screaming.  We knew it was Haylee.  Then we saw her.  The nurse was pushing her on the bed and she was seriously ticked!!!  They told us that she woke up fine and was doing great except having a croup cough, so they gave her a treatment.  She actually sat through the whole thing (totally surprising..must have been the anesthesia!!)  but right when it was done she just started screaming!  I tried to hold her but she went nuts!  Cory tried and she was still screaming but actually let him hold her.  

NOTHING was working to calm her down.  After a bit the nurse asked her if she wanted a popsicle.  She did and totally stopped the noise to eat it!

They came and told us that Taya was out and awake.  They also said Haylee could go...but of course Haylee had to see Taya before she went home!  Taya came out on the bed and she was NOT happy.  She was lying down, calm, but she has had a scowl of all scowls on her face!  She was angry!  Haylee gave her a love and then Cory took her out.  We could have 2 people back with her at one time.  When Cory left to take Haylee home and pick up the other kids (thank you Danelle and Alex!!!) and drop them all off at home (thank you Heather!!!) My mom came back to see her Taya girl!  Taya was very happy to see Grandma and was excited to have her hold her! (She held that popsicle for forever!! She would NOT eat it but she would NOT put it down!!)

I went out for a bit and let my dad go in and see her.  She loved seeing Grandpa!  After a bit I went back in and they left to go see Boogs.  Taya was very happy they visited!  I brought out the paper and crayons I brought and Taya was very glad!  She loves to color!!!  It brought her spirits up quite a bit! (She was drawing the painting of the waterfalls beside her!)

Daddy got back and we were able to spend time with our lil Taya who was getting happier!

 (she was SO pale all day long!!)

 Goodbye McKay Dee Surgical Center!  Thank you Dr. Anderson!! 

We were supposed to watch her for a total of 3 weeks.  We were told the pain would be at it's peak from days 3-7.  Taya did GREAT with her pain though!! We gave her the prescription (Lortab 2.5) on schedule the next 2 days after surgery (days, 1, 2, and 3).  After that we stopped but she woke at night on day 4 in pain so we gave her meds. And then she got it before bed on days 5 and 6 and that's it.  She only got her antibiotic 3 of the 10 days she was supposed to get it! She HATES medicine.  We literally have to hold her down sit on her hands and feet and pry her mouth open.  It is the worst thing EVER!  But considering that Cory and I both have a super high threshold for pain I expected her to and she totally does.  She didn't need near~NEAR as much medicine as they told us she would.  

Taya now has NO snoring! She sleeps MUCH better at night and is no longer waking herself or Gage up!  YEAH!!  She went in for her two-week follow-up and she looked fantastic!!!

Haylee~Haylee's tracheomalacia did clear up! Yeah!  BUT she has subglotic stenosis.  Her windpipe, just below her vocal cords has a TON of scar tissue in it.  More than likely she got it from her infant reflux she had and her intubation while in the NICU.  Dr. Anderson said that children her age and size use a size 4.5 breathing tube with a leak of air between the tube and her own throat.  They got a 3 in her without the leak so a 2.5 would actually be used and that's the size of a breathing tube for a newborn.  He said there are two surgeries that fix it.  One is done by scope down through the mouth and they put in slits in the tissue and balloon out the windpipe and the other is done through the neck into the pipes.  He is sending her to a specialist at Primary Children's Hospital to see what he wants to do with her.

We are SO pleased with Dr. Doug Anderson and what a GREAT job he did with the girls and their surgeries! He is such an awesome ENT!  Thank you Dr. Anderson and the anesthesiologist for taking such great care of our girls!!