Family · Health · Perspective

It takes a village

It takes a village… and I still hate tonsils. Ugh. Complications make this healing process slower…IMG_3101

Day 10 post tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy.

Sweet girl tried school for 3 hours yesterday morning. Her brother rode the bus, but I drove her in so I could talk to her teacher. 8am-11am she quietly enjoyed Kindergarten. Instead of crackers for snack, she ate an entire string cheese stick! <—- This is BIG news! She has barely eaten anything in the last week unless by force. Her little denim jeggings are now baggy and falling down.

She was absolutely wiped out when I picked her up. I gave her a choice to eat whatever she wanted for lunch. She chose a corn dog… so I drove thru Sonic and ordered her one on our way home from town. It took her 30 minutes to eat it, but HALLELUJAH! She ate the whole thing. Don’t judge on nutrition. The kid just needs to eat something.

After some serious “angry tired” attitude, I rocked her until she fell asleep for 15 minutes. We enjoyed a couple of hours of rest time after that until she crashed again in a blaze of tearful fallout from 4-6pm and for the night at 8:30pm.

This morning, after she slept all night for the first time in 10 days, she rode the bus to school for another 3 hour session. Maybe tomorrow she can attend the whole day?

Could it be that we are finally turning the corner???

It truly takes a village to orchestrate a sick/recovering child, another child, a job, and the rest of life’s little details.

I couldn’t have done this without my amazing husband. He tag-teamed our all-nighters with her. He takes over holding her when she’s droopy and I need to use the bathroom. He does homework with our son and has helped with household chores. He hasn’t said a word about me being out of the office (thankfully I’m able to work from home and be flexible with my hours IN the office).

Grandparents have been a life-saver! My father-in-law is seasonally employed and this is his off-season. He’s only a mile and a phone call away. D is hands-on and loves to be involved with his grandkids! My mom spent two days and a night helping at our house. She also took M for a day at her house so I could work. My dad was happy to hold her at our son’s 2nd grade program. Obviously from the amount of cuddles necessary, this has NOT been a smooth recovery.

Our neighbors and church family have volunteered to help get our son places. A couple friend of ours brought a crockpot of cheesy ham and potato casserole, salad, and cookies. Another neighbor picked up an order from the pharmacy.

My sister brought coffee one morning on her way thru for work “just because.” Our friends have checked in with us just to say “Hello” and “We are thinking of you guys!”

It takes a village. We are blessed to have a good one!

Family · Health · Parenting · Perspective

I hate tonsils

Tonsils and adenoids. My sweet little girl had her “monsters” removed Tuesday.

Months of chronic tonsillitis predate this surgery. The last round wasn’t just tonsils; her whole body was covered in a viral rash and the skin on her hands peeled off. We also discovered her drug allergies to the most common bacterial antibiotics.

Since Tuesday, we’ve been walking a fine line of OTC pain meds, timing, staying hydrated and trying to keep something soft in her stomach. Exhaustion, patience, bribery, and a lot of board games and coloring fill the hours.

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At 4am today when I got up to give acetaminophen, she was restless and complaining of a stomach ache. Then she vomited. Then her fever shot up above the threshold the surgical discharge papers allowed.

We tag teamed holding her and checking her fever until my husband was able to convince her to sip some water and the fever reducer.

Days 5-7 are the toughest according to our surgery discharge  information. Well Hello Day 5!

I’m keeping a countdown. Halfway there. We are now approximately 5 days from having this all behind us. Slow and sure. Healing. Hoping for a healthier little ‘sugar bean.’