Baby and Surgery = Happy Emmett (we hope)

So, its scheduled. After having 6 ear infections within the last 5 months, Emmett was referred to a ENT (ear, nose & throat) specialist. They did a pressure test called Tympanometry. It is an examination of the mobility of the eardrum. It creates different variations of air pressure in the ear canal. Then it creates a chart to show how the eardrum moves with the variations of pressure. A normal chart would look like this.

Emmett's looked like this. 

Which means that his eardrum is hardly moving when sound vibrations enter, due to fluid behind the eardrum. The fluid builds up because of improper drainage of the eustachian tube that sometimes becomes clogged or pinched due to allergies, colds or bacteria buildup. Also, children with smaller heads and round faces tend to have a tube that sits more horizontally and sometimes has a dip in it that catches fluid. That makes Emmett a great candidate since he's got older siblings that bring home colds, he probably has seasonal allergies since his parents do, and he's a major spitter upper which can leave bacteria in his sinuses.  Also, he has a small head that has a cute, adorable, round, face.

The doctor said that Emmett definitely needs to have tubes put in his ears. The only other option would be to treat each infection as it comes with antibiotics and see if he starts to outgrow them. Which is usually at the age of 2-3 years. That's a long time. The problem with that is the risk of becoming immune to the antibiotics and other health issues they may cause. And, possible hearing loss caused by the infections. And the fact that right now Emmett hears like he's under water. Without the surgery to drain the ears, he'll have speech problems that may take years of therapy for him to catch up to others his age. And that's IF he grows out of it. She said usually they would not do the surgery until the baby is 9 months old, but considering his pressure test and his record of ear infections, the risk of damage to his ears outweighs the risk of his age. 

It's a same-day type surgery -takes a total of 20 minutes. Then an hour or 2 of post-op evaluation. So the total time in the hospital is 2-3 hours. They will give him general anesthesia by the face mask then they cut a tiny hole in the eardrum and insert the tube by just popping it in. The tube, also called a grommet, looks like this.  

The lips hold it into place until the eardrum starts to grow back and pops it out. Which usually takes 12 to 18 months to do.  The tube gives more places for drainage and allows ventilation. So hopefully after this procedure, I will have a much happier baby, less sick child visits to the doctor and more sleep.

Emmett is scheduled to have the surgery on Tuesday, May 12th. And although I know this is a minor surgery and I know it's the best option to get him feeling better, I still don't like the idea of handing my baby over to go through this. Especially since I can't be there to hold his hand. But, I've done it once before and I can do it again.

Here's to a happy, healthy, Emmett Rieske Adams! 

(And lets hope, knock on wood, that 2 is the highest number of babies that I have to send under the knife.)