The Hospital

Our family awoke at 5am this morning to head on out to the hospital. Round two of ear tubes for our sweet little girl. She was all smiles though because she knew that she would be getting a yellow popsicle. And to tell you the truth, she doesn't really know why she was there today. She remembers, "goin' on a ride in a big elevata" and eating her yellow popsicle.

I had laryngitis this morning. Not just the scratchy voice kind but the whole meal deal. I couldn't even check us in as my husband was parking the car. I would open my mouth and nothing came out. A very odd situation for me to be in considering I love chatting it up with secretaries, etc. when we go in for appointments. Without my voice I felt so rude. Like I was just standing there silent, letting everyone else do the talking.

We met the nicest family in our group room. Again, I would have loved to chit chat more and actually had to whisper to them my situation so that I didn't just sit there feeling rude the whole time. Our daughter loved their little girl. She was five and the girls played with their stuffed animals together and then the little girl got out her coloring book and soon enough, both girls were coloring. It was adorable. I managed a bit of a whispering conversation. This might be the worse laryngitis that I have had. And I usually get it at least once a year following a cold.

On the way to the exam room for the procedure, our daughter was sitting up in the big rolling hospital bed enjoying the ride. She was 'princess waving' at all of the nurses as she rolled by. "Heeeelllloooo" she said to each and every one. By the time we got to the exam room, her medication had kicked in and the she became very 'loopy'. At one point, she look at me, smiled and fell face first into the magnadoodle that was sitting on her lap. And then she sat up and gave my husband the most adorable smile and said, "I wuv you Daddy". Precious.

Everything went really well with the tubes. The doctor said that both of her tiny little ear drums were full of fluid and that we should see a dramatic change with her hearing and balance. Poor little pumpkin. I'm so sad that she has had to have those limitations due to chronic ear infections. The first set of tubes didn't hold so we are hoping that the permanent ones will do the trick.

Our daughter was as happy as could be after the procedure. She got her yellow popsicle. Our son got an orange one. She waved goodbye to the nurses and her friends. And then we got to the car. That is when the meltdown occurred. The doctor said that this is common when the medicine starts to wear off. And wow. This one was a doozy. The only thing and I mean THE ONLY thing that could convince her to get into her car seat was the promise of a donut. But then it was, "a donut AND a cookie". Oh my gosh, she was working us and it was working. And then she started crying harder because her ears hurt and it was heartbreaking. Needless to say, yes she did get her donut and her cookie.

Tonight as I was tucking her in for bed, I asked her about our morning at the hospital. In a nutshell, she still has no idea why she was there but really liked the long ride to the really big elevator. And of course, the yellow popsicle. And so I felt the need to capture these hospital bracelets today because we were all there as a family. All of us there loving and supporting her. We feel so blessed that this simple procedure could be done today. Again, we thank God for modern medicine.