Kade's Ears

Yes folks, poor little Kade has finally had to get tubes put into his ears. The past year and a half has been riddled with trips to the doctor for ear infections, staph infections, RSV, and more ear infections. Sprinkle in many hundreds of dollars worth of allergy and dermatology appointments for Blake and we could single handedly make a big dent in wiping out the national deficit. Just kidding...but it sure feels like it!

This morning I woke before the roosters to get Kade to the hospital for his Myringotomy (ear tube) surgery. He was a little trooper, but was irritated with me for not bringing him any "num" (his word for food), or "wawer" (his word for anything liquid). I was very impressed with the staff and surgical dept. of St. Luke's hospital. Having worked in a hospital environment I find myself on the lookout for things I wouldn't normally notice, and I am happy to report that I found nothing that bothered me there. If anything, I could complain that I was only able to read about five pages of my book after they took him back and they were already out to tell me they were done!

Kade was especially impressed with this machine that they had borrowed from the pediatrics department for the day. It had a clear plastic tube with water in it. Bubbles would shoot up from the bottom, making little balls and beads rise to the top, only to fall back down. There was a little box with red, green, yellow, and blue lights on it. When he pushed the light a light in the tube would turn that color...it was pretty cool. It also projected images on the wall that spun around.

Before they took him back they gave him some medicine to mellow him out, after it took effect he just laid on the stretcher playing with my iTouch. After the surgery was all over, I carried him to the car (he was awake when they took me back to get him) and the nurse carried my bag. When she asked him if he was ready to go home he said no, which she thought was funny. When I got him home I opened the door of the car to get him out and he lifted his head (he'd fallen asleep again on the way home) and said "Daddyn?" (his word for Dad), then went right back to sleep.

My Relief Society president called when I got home and told me she was on her way over so I could take a nap. I just love her! I didn't think I would be able to go to sleep but I did for about an hour. When I came downstairs Chad had come home and sent her home. Apparently she had brought Kade upstairs at 12 (his normal naptime) and when she put him in his crib he cried and banged his head on the side, so she took him back downstairs. I can't believe I slept through all that! I am so grateful for her and for medical insurance...two things I couldn't have lived without today!