Today Owen went to speech therapy. It was his first time leaving the house since getting his tonsils out (except for donuts at Krispie Kreme, and that was only because he was high on hydrocodone). Today was day 12, and it's the first day that I feel like Owen is actually healed.
It's been a rough 12 days. Actually, rough doesn't begin to describe it. It's been a horrible 12 days. The first few days weren't too bad. It took some coaxing (and bribing) to get him to take his medicine, but it was always a fight. A few days into it, we couldn't convince him to take the nasty tasting hydrocodone, so we switched to over-the-counter Tylenol and Advil. They worked to mildly manage his pain, but it was still a fight to convince him to take them. He was always in pain, just less so when he would take his medicine.
Nights were the worst. He slept in our room, and would wake crying in pain. I would then spend the next half hour convincing him to take the pain medication. Sometimes I was successful, sometimes I wasn't (and then he'd wake crying a half hour later because he was still in pain).
On day 6 Scott left for 3 days in Sun Valley, and Owen quit taking pain medication all together. He just flat out refused. He fought me over it, and if I managed to pin him down and squirt it in his mouth, he spit it back out. So I quit trying to force it on him. And that's when the nights got really hard. He would wake every half hour, crying in pain. I would go to his side and try and comfort him, and ask him if he wanted some medicine to make it better (although I knew the answer was always "no"). He would eventually fall back to sleep, only to wake crying a half hour later.
I would get up the next morning at 7 to get the school kids up and ready for school. I would hope that Kate would sleep in, so I'd be able to climb back into bed when the last of the kids left for school at 8:30. Some mornings I'd get another 20 minutes if I was lucky. But then Kate would be up and needing my attention. Owen would nap off and on through the days, but I didn't have the luxury of napping with him because I had Kate running around.
I was so tired! I felt like a zombie trying to stay awake through the days. Owen was miserable, and so was I. I couldn't wait for Scott to come home so he could take some shifts in the night.
Scott came home on Friday (day 8), but he had to leave Saturday morning at 7am to take the three older kids to their softball tournament in Payette, so I took the night time comforting again Friday night. Saturday night, I got up again with Owen, simply because Scott wouldn't wake up. Sunday I stayed home from church with Owen, and he seemed to be feeling better. But nighttime came and he was restless in the night again, so he missed preschool on Monday morning (he slept in till 10).
But I'm happy to say that last night he slept clear through the night without making a sound. He went to speech therapy today and has been happy and playing the whole day. He's even back to eating. He didn't eat for a week. He'd manage a few swallows of water or drinkable yogurt a couple times a day, but never more than just a swallow or two. He got skinny, really skinny. But he has been eating really good today and his cheeks are starting to fill back out.
This is my 4th time taking care of a child recovering from a tonsillectomy, but experience doesn't make it any easier. I'm glad we survived and are on the other side of it all. Now I need to catch up on my sleep!
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Talk Like a Pirate
Talk Like a Pirate Day is a favorite of our kids. Krispie Kreme gives out a free donut to you on this day if you talk like a pirate. And if you dress like a pirate, you get a free dozen donuts! It was the day after Owen had his tonsils out, so I worried about taking him. But he wanted to go. I figured he could handle a short car ride. So the kids got all dressed up as pirates (Josh was passed out on the couch after his campout, so he didn't come, and Savannah is too old to play such silly games, so she stayed home too).
When we got to Krispie Kreme, we were greeted by a really long line out the door. But the kids stayed entertained while they waited in line.
We gave Owen pain medication just before we left, so he wasn't in any pain. But he was worn out, and having to stand in line made it worse.
But getting 5 dozen free donuts made standing in the line worth it.
When we got to Krispie Kreme, we were greeted by a really long line out the door. But the kids stayed entertained while they waited in line.
We gave Owen pain medication just before we left, so he wasn't in any pain. But he was worn out, and having to stand in line made it worse.
But getting 5 dozen free donuts made standing in the line worth it.
Backpacking Trip
Josh went on his first overnight backpacking trip for scouts. I was really nervous about sending him off, but he was just plain excited.
They hiked to Blue Lake, just outside of Cascade. Josh's scout leader was awesome at posting pictures and updates for the parents while they were gone.
The boys did some geocaching at the trail head on Friday afternoon.
Then they started their hike to Blue Lake (about a mile long). They saw their first snow on the ground Friday evening.
Josh brought his fishing pole, and he and Carter were the first ones to catch fish. They cooked them and ate them for dinner Friday night.
Josh slept in a tent by himself that night. And even dressed head to toe in hat, sweats, and socks, Josh said he was still cold. It was pretty chilly overnight. The next morning the boys decided to give the lake a try. As their leader said, "Swimming. So if the air temperature is 40 degrees and the water temperature is 40 degrees it can't be that cold can it? Brrr"
The boys did some more geocaching. They looked for three on this trip. They found two. The one that wasn't found was on an island that required the boys to swim to the island to find it. Too cold!
Saturday they hiked out. Their scout leader said, "The hike out from Blue Lake was only a mile but has a very steep section. The boys took several breaks but were rewarded for their efforts with a delicious lunch at the trucks."
And finally around 5 Saturday afternoon, Josh arrived home safe and sound (and really stinky). He was gone just over 24 hours, but I'm pretty sure those hours were packed full adventure.
They hiked to Blue Lake, just outside of Cascade. Josh's scout leader was awesome at posting pictures and updates for the parents while they were gone.
The boys did some geocaching at the trail head on Friday afternoon.
Then they started their hike to Blue Lake (about a mile long). They saw their first snow on the ground Friday evening.
Josh brought his fishing pole, and he and Carter were the first ones to catch fish. They cooked them and ate them for dinner Friday night.
Josh slept in a tent by himself that night. And even dressed head to toe in hat, sweats, and socks, Josh said he was still cold. It was pretty chilly overnight. The next morning the boys decided to give the lake a try. As their leader said, "Swimming. So if the air temperature is 40 degrees and the water temperature is 40 degrees it can't be that cold can it? Brrr"
The boys did some more geocaching. They looked for three on this trip. They found two. The one that wasn't found was on an island that required the boys to swim to the island to find it. Too cold!
Saturday they hiked out. Their scout leader said, "The hike out from Blue Lake was only a mile but has a very steep section. The boys took several breaks but were rewarded for their efforts with a delicious lunch at the trucks."
And finally around 5 Saturday afternoon, Josh arrived home safe and sound (and really stinky). He was gone just over 24 hours, but I'm pretty sure those hours were packed full adventure.
Tonsils
Two years ago when Nate had his tonsils removed, I had inquired about getting Owen's done also. He was only 2 at the time, and the ENT doctor said doing a tonsillectomy on a 2 year old is not advised (required hospital stay and horrible recovery).
This summer while Scott was traveling, I let Owen sleep with me a few times. I was reminded what a horrible sleeper Owen is. He would take 5 or 6 labored breaths through his nose, then gasp for air through his mouth and flail his arms about. I decided we'd waited long enough, and I scheduled a visit with the ENT. He determined that removing Owen's tonsils and adenoids would improve Owen's breathing greatly, and we scheduled a surgery date for the middle of September.
Owen is our 4th child to have this surgery done, so we knew what we were signing up for, but we also knew that in the end, Owen's quality of life would be improved.
We checked into the surgery center on Friday at 11. I was worried we'd be given an earlier surgery time, and I didn't know how we'd get all the kids off to school. But with the later time, we were able to get the kids off to school and then Anne came over to stay with Kate and Aaron (who stayed home from school sick that day). Scott took the day off work, and the three of us headed off to the surgery center.
Owen enjoyed getting to decorate his mask with stickers.
He thought his bed with wheels was pretty cool.
Saying our goodbyes as he headed back to surgery.
When surgery was done, and he was starting to wake up, they brought us back to see him. I was prepared for him to be really mad (he was when he woke up from his urology procedure last year). But when we got back to him, he was perfectly peaceful and in and out of sleep. The nurse said he had been pretty upset when he first woke up, but they gave him a dose of pain medication through his IV, and it calmed him right down (just in time for us to see him). The doctor said surgery went great. He said the adenoids were huge and so were the tonsils. He said Owen should be able to breath so much easier after this.
When he was more fully awake, they moved him to a recliner with me holding him, and took us to a recovery room. I sat and snuggled him while they monitored his stats and gave him fluids through his IV. He mostly just slept on me.
Finally we got to check out and go home. Owen was excited to ride in a wheelchair.
The car ride home was rough. I sat next to Owen in the back, so he could lean up against me. He was white as a ghost and did not feel well. He threw up on the drive home (we had an emesis bag with us, thankfully).
Recovery has been rough. Owen really doesn't like the pain medication (it tastes horrible). If we can stay on top of the pain meds, he does all right. But when he gets behind on the meds, he starts to hurt and it's a pretty quick downward spiral from there.
But we've discovered that if we bribe him with quarters, he's more willing to take his medication. He thinks he's going to get rich off this.
This summer while Scott was traveling, I let Owen sleep with me a few times. I was reminded what a horrible sleeper Owen is. He would take 5 or 6 labored breaths through his nose, then gasp for air through his mouth and flail his arms about. I decided we'd waited long enough, and I scheduled a visit with the ENT. He determined that removing Owen's tonsils and adenoids would improve Owen's breathing greatly, and we scheduled a surgery date for the middle of September.
Owen is our 4th child to have this surgery done, so we knew what we were signing up for, but we also knew that in the end, Owen's quality of life would be improved.
We checked into the surgery center on Friday at 11. I was worried we'd be given an earlier surgery time, and I didn't know how we'd get all the kids off to school. But with the later time, we were able to get the kids off to school and then Anne came over to stay with Kate and Aaron (who stayed home from school sick that day). Scott took the day off work, and the three of us headed off to the surgery center.
Owen enjoyed getting to decorate his mask with stickers.
He thought his bed with wheels was pretty cool.
Saying our goodbyes as he headed back to surgery.
When surgery was done, and he was starting to wake up, they brought us back to see him. I was prepared for him to be really mad (he was when he woke up from his urology procedure last year). But when we got back to him, he was perfectly peaceful and in and out of sleep. The nurse said he had been pretty upset when he first woke up, but they gave him a dose of pain medication through his IV, and it calmed him right down (just in time for us to see him). The doctor said surgery went great. He said the adenoids were huge and so were the tonsils. He said Owen should be able to breath so much easier after this.
When he was more fully awake, they moved him to a recliner with me holding him, and took us to a recovery room. I sat and snuggled him while they monitored his stats and gave him fluids through his IV. He mostly just slept on me.
Finally we got to check out and go home. Owen was excited to ride in a wheelchair.
The car ride home was rough. I sat next to Owen in the back, so he could lean up against me. He was white as a ghost and did not feel well. He threw up on the drive home (we had an emesis bag with us, thankfully).
Recovery has been rough. Owen really doesn't like the pain medication (it tastes horrible). If we can stay on top of the pain meds, he does all right. But when he gets behind on the meds, he starts to hurt and it's a pretty quick downward spiral from there.
But we've discovered that if we bribe him with quarters, he's more willing to take his medication. He thinks he's going to get rich off this.
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