Adenoids, tonsils, and tubes. Oh my! Part 1

Well, these were the pre-op pictures.  All smiles, of course.  Post-op we were too busy to take pictures.  Walker got shipped off just as Caroline was returning, and boy was she agitated.  They warned us that most kiddos are fussy for 30-60 minutes after the surgery, but they did not warn us that she would be violently screaming in a way we have never heard our sweet Gracie cry in her life.  They also didn't tell us that we wouldn't be able to console her for 50 minutes until she wore herself out and collapsed on my shoulder.  Aside from feeling sorry for our pitifully confused, aggressive, screaming child, we were humored by her on more than one ocassion.  At one point, she actually kicked Kurt out of the room by screaming in a shrill voice, "No, no Dada.  No, no Dada" over and over again until he left.  Then she cried for him to come back.  She also wagged her little finger in my face, repeating the same thing to me.  We tried everything we could think of from milk, pretzels, cookies, Dora books, and suckers to the bubbles and stuffed animal that the nurse gave us.  Needless to say, it was a long 50 minutes.

After she woke up from her 30 minute nap, she was the same pleasant Gracie that we know and love!  It was like nothing had even happened.  I guess she just needed to get all that yucky anesthesia out of her system.  The doctors and nurses were great, and I can't say enough about Alliance Community Hospital.  We felt very involved, informed, and well-cared for.  There was even a time when her oxygen levels dropped significantly, and they had to page the anesthesiologist while he was getting Walker ready, but he took great care of her and they came right back up without a problem.  We also know that we had lots of people praying for us, and the power of prayer is a mighty thing!

Today, a day and a half later, I am truly amazed at what a rapid and significant difference the tubes have made.  She has been blabbering all day, repeating almost everything I've said and putting together a few short sentences as well.  Here's what I've written down as her brand-new, post-tube words for the day:
How are you?
I'm good.
Come here.
Ribbit
Move back.
Let's go.
Nice ears.

A big, big thank-you to Dr. Kanagy :)

More about Walker tomorrow . . .