I went in for ear surgery on April 7, 2010. My mom took me to the hospital and watched over Arlee. Hans was at school and worked a 3-10 PM shift after school. My mom was about ready to pull her hair out. Arlee had been sick for about a week at this point. She wasn't able to be over at my parent's house since there are people who are healthy over there. So my poor mom had to watch Arlee over at my house. Let me tell you that this is not an easy task when Arlee is healthy. She is usually fussy with anyone that isn't me or Hans. So to make it worse my mom had to watch her when she was sick too.
So my mom dropped me off and left with Arlee. I had to check in and get ready for the surgery. Usually when I have surgery I am pretty emotional before and after the surgery. Well, this time no one was with me before so I didn't have anyone to cry to. I had to be strong and wait there by myself. When I woke up from the surgery I couldn't do anything but cry. The poor nurse didn't know what to do with me. She asked me if I was hurting. I told her that I was at a two. She gave me some medicine and it doesn't kick in right away. Before it kicked in I was at a four and soon after it got even worse. I was at a six. She then started giving me a drug that starts with a "D" (Hans could tell you, but I forget what it is called). Anyway, it wasn't working so she gave me about three more shots and said on the fourth one that this should do the trick and the other medicine should be kicking in too. Well I started throwing up! I couldn't keep my sprite or my water down, but my crackers stayed down. I threw up about three times and then I was on cloud nine. The drugs kicked in and now I couldn't stay awake. They were ready to get rid of me though.
My mom came in with Arlee about an hour before that, but then the pain got worse so they kept me. The hospitals haven't been letting anyone under 14 come into the hospital, but my mom needed to come in and get me. The problem was is that she also had Arlee. So since I wasn't ready when my mom got there she had to wait in a waiting room and take Arlee too. Hospitals and babies don't mix. Arlee had it, she wanted me and also wanted to go home.
With me being as sleepy as I was after all the drugs my mom had to come in and help me get dressed! This was a little weird, but was much appreciated since I couldn't have done it by myself. My mom told the nurse that she wouldn't be able to help me and take Arlee in there too, since she would want me. The nurse took her and my mom came in and helped me get dressed. I still had the bottom half of me mostly dressed, but the top half I wasn't. I had a gown on that I kept on until I could be dressed a little. Then my mom had to carefully put my shirt on. (Still the whole time I was going to fall asleep) I am sure that it was a lot more difficult then it needed to be. FINALLY, we were done getting me dressed. The nurse brought in a wheel chair so I could get in it. Walking, while sleepy and drugged is not a good thing, but I made it in alive. The other nurse brought Arlee to me and I held her and wiped off her tears. Poor little girl! They wheeled us out and I climbed into the car. I was so dizzy and sleepy that I just closed my eyes the whole way home.
When we got home I went to bed and Arlee sat with me for a little bit while my mom went to the restroom. Then she came and got her and I slept for about an hour and then went down stairs for something to eat. My mom made me some Ramen Noodles and Arlee had some too. After we ate dinner we went down stairs and we tried watching a movie. Arlee was really fussy and wanted me and I was falling in and out of sleep. We decided that it was time for Arlee to go to bed. She went down really easily and my mom and I just talked until Hans got home. I was so glad to see him when he got home. My mom was too as anyone could imagine. My mom took off after letting Hans know what the nurse said about my care.
I told Hans that I really needed him with me today instead of working and going to school. I couldn't do anything but cry to him after he got home. I am not saying that my mom did a bad job, but I needed him that day.
Thank you mom for taking care of me and Arlee when it wasn't in the slightess easy for you. Thanks to Hans for caring for Arlee at night and bringing me home some much needed Sprite. Arlee thanks for not pulling on my ear when I know that it looked so tempting. I love you three.
This is the back of my ear where they took the graft to put over my ear drum. This is also where they cut so they could operate.
This is a picture of the front of my ear that has a nasty bloody cotton ball in it (sorry about the grossness), but you get the point... very messy surgery : )
Here is the newest update:
I went in for my post op check up on April 29th. My doctor said that everything looks good so far. He took the tape off where my stitches have been so now as you can see in the picture below it is still healing, but shouldn't look much different. Hopefully, a little less red, but I am happy with it. And the best part I don't have to keep changing out the cotton ball everyday and night. I hated that part. Still cannot submerge my head in water, but showering has been made a lot easier.
I am supposed to go and see how the graft help/didn't help my ear drum heal in another month (May 27th).
Chels
