Olivia's Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy

up with the sun to drive to the hospital

We are so thankful for TriCare's use of civilian doctor's and their willingness to accept TriCare.  After seeing the ENT on Tuesday, she's having her surgery today, Thursday.  Getting this done now will allow for 5 days after her two week post-op appointment before we leave and a weight lifted off my shoulders.

However, being that there is no TriCare doctor's near my parents, we had to travel about an hour away to the hospital were the ENT practices surgery.  Not complaining though, just grateful we can make the drive without any trouble on such short notice.  She and I were up at the crack of dawn to make sure we had enough time in case mommy got lost (which I didn't). What helped mommy with getting up so early...COFFEE! Starbucks opens at 5am, something I didn't know til now!

 The drive was easy and the prep room already had cartoons playing...she was glued to the TV! All the nurses were great.  Showering her with stickers, being goofy to help easy her nervousness, and asking her all their administrative questions knowing she would just giggle. Spent about an hour and a half in the prep room waiting for her turn in the OR, so we entertained ourselves...

...with our new cool hats!

She truly was an angel this morning who was clueless as to what was exactly going to happen.  I purposely kept her in the dark as much as possible to keep her fears down and help her up until the very end. Told her the doctor was going to take his magic wand and say "Bibbity Bobbity Boo" and make her tonsils disappear.  The nurses told her their names and what they would be doing to help her today.  Her anesthesiologist showed her all the cool smells in chapstick form that she could have for her mask...she picked Berry!

She was so happy putting the mask on herself...until we got into the OR. The nurses asked her to climb on over onto the operating table which she did enthusiastically.  Once the nurse started to apply the stickers to monitor her vitals, her eyes indicated panic and fear.  The anesthesiologist showed her the cool lines on the monitor's screen that moved when she wiggled her fingers and that seemed to calm her for about...oh, two seconds.

Once that Berry flavored mask was applied and the gas started to flow, she freaked out.  I completely expected her to freak but she didn't freak out as much as I thought she would.  I couldn't hold her down myself, and she tried to sit up a few times, so the anesthesiologist said, "Ok, plan B."  He kept the mask on her through her screams, while two wonderful nurses held her arms and I talked to her and rubbed her forehead (while wearing my awesome hat and yellow paper robe).  After she took several deep breaths between screams, she was out cold.  I kissed her forehead and left...giggling to keep myself from crying and because she was snoring very loud and very deep, it surprised me.
 

Surgery took less than 40 minutes and the doctor said her adenoids were a bit small for the decent size of her tonsils.  I waited about an hour longer to see her up in her room.  We're staying the night.  After getting her iv's situated, she promptly fell asleep for about an hour.  Now she's pottied, had a few bites of lime jello...not her favorite, and is watch Go, Diego, Go!

UPDATE: Olivia is currently taking her afternoon nap after her pain meds kicked in.  She ate some ice cream saying she was hungry...a great sign.  Her grandparents visited and brought Dora the Explorer gifts which instantly put a smile on her face.  As long as she has pain meds in her system, I expect her recovery to go smoothly...knock on wood!