My brave little warrior …

Reese’s surgery went great. Her doctor removed her tonsils and adenoids. Her ear canals were still too small for tubes but she didn’t have any fluid in them anyway. It’s been almost a year since the fluid was previously drained. With as much as she has dripped over the past 5 months, if it was going to return, it would have already. So it looks like we are in the clear on that end. YAY!

Reese is doing better than I could have ever imagined. She has had no pain and has just been a little tired. She’s wanting lots of cuddles, which I am loving! She’s tolerated her favorite foods, banana yogurt and almond milk, like nothing was done to her throat. She’s even taken all her pain meds without any difficulty. She has been on her iPad, playing with her Barbies and even asked to go play outside. I said a firm NO on that last one.

Reese amazes me. She always has. Be it 2 pounds 15 ounces laying in the NICU or today almost 6 and half years later, she is full of love and life. She has a strength that I have never seen in another human being and a resilience of spirit that leaves me in awe. She is, put simply, my hero.

Well, I hope you all had a day where you spent time with a brave little warrior!!!

A light at the end of the tunnel …

My poor Reese is sick again. This winter has been a dark and ugly few months! Ever since October my little peanut has come down with every cold and virus she has come across. SO SO SO not like her. Her ENT has her scheduled for a tonsillectomy, an adenoidectomy and hopefully will be placing tubes in her ears. I say “hopefully” because he tried to place tubes in her ears last Spring but her ear canals were so tiny it would have been dangerous to do so. We are hoping this year that her canals are bigger. Anyway, I have been assured that this triple procedure day will be exactly what is needed to return my Ree to her happy healthy self. And I simply can’t wait!

Well, I hope you all have a day where you see a light at the end of the tunnel!!!

Relieved …

What. A. Day.

Reese went in this morning to have her ear tubes placed, extensive audiology testing, and a few other tests. The BIGGIES being the tubes and the audiology testing to rule out any permanent hearing loss.

Well, it didn’t go as planned.

Reese’s ear canals were too small to have the tubes put in. However, her doctor was able to get out all the fluid from her ears by doing a controlled puncturing of her eardrums (Myringotomy). Creepy, but it works and it isn’t painful. He is hopeful the fluid won’t return but if it does, he already has some treatment plan options. Truth be told, I never even knew this was a possibility. All of it! The canals being too small and medically perforated ear drums. WHO KNEW?!?!

Anyway, as much as things didn’t go as planned with the tubes, we did get fabulous news regarding the audiology testing. Reese can hear. They found no permanent hearing loss or nerve damage.

I have learned that you can’t worry about things until you are absolutely certain that they are YOUR things to worry about. It’s not an easy practice but I have REALLY been trying to live this. I did, however, get freaked out about the possibility of Reese being hearing impaired. The anxiety slowly crept in over the past few weeks and abundantly over the past few days. 

It has been difficult at best.

I am so grateful that my Ree is hearing and that there are more treatment options out there if a need arises. But I am utterly exhausted too. The stress a parent feels when there is a REAL reason to worry about their child is down right awful. It is a painful worry, both physically and emotionally. Our hearts literally ache. All I can say is that I am thankful that this is all over with now. BIG SIGH.

Well, I hope you all had a day where you felt relieved!!!