So, my baby is having surgery next week.

Ear tubes. :(

He had his first double ear infection around the time he was 6 months old. Since then, he's had 3 more double ear infections.

The first one we treated with augmentin and he broke out in a rash which we were unable to determine if it was an allergic reaction or not. Finished treatment with Omnicef, which is supposed to be the "big" one for treating them.

The next three we treated with Omnicef as well, except for that we would think he was getting better then a week or so after his antibiotics were gone he would spike a fever again and lo and behold, double ear infection. Likely, they just didn't go away with the first round of antibiotics.

So, for those reasons and the fact that we're heading into cold and flu season and have two new babies on the way... our pediatrician recommended we meet with an ENT to get their opinion.

We met with a highly recommended ENT, and she said that if it were her she would do it. He doesn't show any signs of hearing loss yet but with his last EI, his left eardrum ruptured twice. She said that the next EI could be the one that causes hearing loss, or if it ruptures again it could cause permanent damage to the eardrum.

It's a routine surgery that I am dreading, but I know he will be fine. I've talked to MANY people, including the nurse at the ENT office today (whose son just had the surgery) and they've put me at ease. I found out a little bit about what we should expect the day of the surgery and I'm feeling better overall about it. I don't want him to keep suffering from ear infections, I don't want him to have permanent damage or hearing loss, and I don't want to cause him to have an antibiotic resistance... so it's the best option we believe.

The day of the surgery (next Monday) we will arrive at the surgery center an hour before "go time." When they call us back, they'll take us to a holding room (and we can go with him!) where they'll administer an oral medication that is a relaxant. It will make him groggy and "a little loopy" but he won't fall asleep. Then the anesthesiologist will come back and explain what will happen, ask for questions, etc. Then he/she will take him back (this is where we have to go back to the waiting room- sad face) but the relaxant should make it so that he doesn't care. They'll give him the anesthesia via kid-friendly flavored gas. Once he is asleep, the surgery takes 5 minutes. The entire process (putting him to sleep, surgery, clean-up) takes 15 minutes. After that, they will bring us back to the holding room where the doctor will come tell us how he did, etc. Then, we go back to the waiting room and they'll get us as soon as he starts to wake up (could be 30-45 minutes). They said they want the parents back there when he starts to wake up because kids react differently. Some wake up a little groggy and some wake up fighting mad, you just never know. So, having us there will ease his discomfort. They said he won't be in any pain so even if he is screaming and crying it's from the anesthesia- not because he's hurting. Once they give the okay, he will be given a snack and a drink and then discharged shortly after where I will take him home and proceed to cuddle with him for the rest of the day. They said some kids are "normal" within a couple hours but all are by the next day.

We don't have an appointment time yet, but it'll be morning between 7:30-9. I'm anxious but feeling better now that I've heard from others who have gone through it and gotten my questions answered.

I hope this helps him!!