So, August 12 was our 3 month followup to Cora's last ENT appointment. At the last one, her tubes fell out so Dr. Lanier just wanted to make sure everything was healing well.
Cora has been nervous about going to the ENT (and she isn't nervous about any other medical appointment she has had) because of the bad memories there, so the whole way up to Fresno I told her that it would not be a big deal. All she would need to do is get her ears checked and then she would be done with the ENT for a long long time!
So, we got there and she played for a while in the children's waiting room before being called back to the ENT.
While Dr. Lanier checked her ears, I told him I wanted to get her hearing checked because some things have just been off. Sometimes we'll talk to her and it's like she's looking at us but not comprehending. She has been off with guessing what letter makes what sound, which she has not had an issue with in the past. As I was explaining this, Dr. Lanier said, "Well, her ears are full of fluid. Let's go to the better microscope to check it out."
Sure enough, we got to the other room and Dr. Lanier said her ears are as bad as they were before her tubes. I was SHOCKED. I don't know how that happened, but it makes me feel bad for Cora. She needed ear tubes AGAIN. I thought we were past this?! So, in a daze, we went to In-N-Out to drown our sorrows then went to the zoo for a few hours. I still wonder what I could have done to make it not as serious as it is. Did I not wash her well enough? Should I be putting her ear plugs in when she swims still?
Before we even got home from the zoo, I got a call scheduling the appointment. They scheduled it for August 20. Yes, our wedding anniversary. We had thought of MAYBE doing a spontaneous trip to San Francisco because tickets to Hamilton are super cheap on weekdays and Brandon had the 22nd off, but that ruined our plans.
So, as per our "tradition" (since this is our third trip with ear tubes in 15 months), we went to Yogurtland the night before to try to fill her up. She didn't have to be there until 7:45, which was good because we didn't have to leave so early but also bad since she couldn't eat or drink.
Cora was VERY afraid the morning off. She clung to me and sobbed that she didn't want me to leave her. It did NOT help my nerves at all. But we had her three unicorns there to keep her brave, and since we waited a while we got to read books and take our minds off of it.
Bless nurses, man. The nurse who was going to bring her offered to let her ride on the bed. Cora seemed a little excited, so we talked up how cool that was. So all I had to do was kiss her forehead and tell her she was brave and good luck and she went off!
I timed the procedure, and it took 25 minutes from when I left Cora until I was able to go back to recovery. As hard as that was, it continues to help me be grateful that we only have had to deal with 20-25 minute surgeries with no post-op care. We have so many friends with much more intensive surgeries, and just experiencing a tiny taste of that world gives me so much more sympathy for them.
Cora waking up was a little bit tough. She cried a lot saying that her ears hurt, but I couldn't do anything about it. She wouldn't open her eyes (except for a brief second when I came in) so I know she was super out of it.
She didn't want to wear her shoes, and I couldn't carry her the diaper bag and her things all at once so she got to ride the wheelchair out! One cool thing she will never remember.
Once we made it home and she got some medicine and food in her, she was great. And now we see how effective this round of tubes is! Dr. Lanier said she just has something up with the development of her ear tubes, and we'll see how long it takes for them to grow out of it. I hope this round is more effective so we don't have to worry about more intensive surgeries (like maybe doing adenoid removal).
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