1. I took Iyyar to the pediatrician this afternoon. The more I thought about it, the less happy I was with the care we got at the ER last night--a medical student so clueless he thought only fat people had apnea and all new parents are advised to put babies to sleep on their stomachs. When I heard that last one, I couldn't help it--I asked him if he was a doctor. "I'm a medical student," he said. "Haven't you ever heard about Back to Sleep?" "I'm going into radiology." Well, then. The attending (not a pediatrician) thought Iyyar looked fine, and is he your first child? I felt that my concerns (MY BABY STOPPED BREATHING) were not being addressed, and that I did in fact know the difference between normal sleep breathing and absence thereof. So we went to the pediatrician. He instantly, when I told him what happened, said, "that sounds like obstructive sleep apnea!" Ya think? He looked down his throat. "Wow, look at those tonsils. Yeah, he should definitely see the ENT." And I left with my referral, and another ER crossed off my list of good places to take a child in the middle of the night. Or ever.
2. Barak is scheduled to have his adenoids out and tubes in his ears tomorrow. I am so freaked out about this I am in a state of complete denial.
3. On the way back from the pediatrician's, we stopped off at the barber's and Barak had his first real haircut. It is buzzed and he has payes. He looks, and I mean this in all sincerity, like a completely different child. It is hard to overstate the difference the haircut made. He was unbelievably cute while we were waiting--he saw the jar of lollipops and speculated with me which lollipop each of the bearded men with black suits and white shirts would choose. "He's gonna getta lollipop? Hiss also gonna getta lollipop? Think hiss gonna getta blue one!" I wished I had had a camera, to preserve the image of Barak perched high up on a barber chair, under a yellow striped tent, grinning and giggling at me in the mirror.
4. This is Barak's second night in a real bed--well, a crib-sized mattress on the floor, not in a crib. I'm trying to find him a used Little Tikes racecar toddler bed on Craigslist. There have been a few, but none in our area--I think he would love it but it's not something I would spend a lot of money on. Anyway, he's sleeping in a bed now. And has had a haircut. Milestone after milestone.
5. And speaking of milestones, Iyyar woke up crying a little while after I put him to bed and when I went in to get him, he was standing up in his crib. That's another first.
All right, time to get things together for tomorrow. Barak's surgery is scheduled for 7:30 am, so we have to be there at 6, so we have to leave at around 5:40.
Trying not to panic.
3 comments:
We'll be thinking of you. My neice had impressive sleep apnea which vanished after her tonsils and adenoids were removed. Cyndy
Breathe, my dear, breathe. Probably by now (6:00 on the west coast) things are all done, but I'm thinking of you anyway and will check your blog/email tonight to see how things went.
Tonsils - well, that is a clear cause, and should be pretty simple to clear up. I remember I got ice cream when I had mine out, but then I was about 4.
Yeah, that's the trouble with ERs. The physician on call is usually not specialized in what you come in for, and the person doing the initial triage/visit is often less experienced, so that's another reason we try to discourage people from using the ER as primary care instead of going to the proper doctor. But some ERs are better than others, so definitely go to another one in the extremely unwished-for event of needing one again.
You will be so happy you had this done!! My Grandson had Apnea and as an infant you could hear him snoring from his bedroom over the TV in the living room. Two Peds said-"Oh no, we don't take out tonsils and adnoids anymore" and the poor little guy had trouble sleeping and was sick multiple times. A 3rd Ped took one look and the tonsils/ads were out by the next day at noon! Different kid immediately!! Sleeps like an Angel and no fits of waking up or snoring! A week or so of a sore throat and he was great.
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