Advice on Preparing for Surgery

I just wanted to mention that I was able to avoid a second set of tubes on my daughter at 18 months of age and save her from having her adenoids removed with the help of Cranial Osteopathy performed by a doctor. CranioSacral therapy is also very similar and performed by many different types of practitioners.

My oldest had his tonsils and adenoids out and the ladies all gave you wonderful suggestions!! I just wanted to add that ice cream, or a lot of dairy, can be very mucus forming. We were told to stay away from it for at least a week. Hope it all goes well!!

I don't see where anyone addressed the immediate post-op period where your girls will be waking up from the anesthesia. You mentioned that you had to schedule the surgeries that way because of your husband's schedule- I hope that this is because he will be there. My son also was 19 months old when he had tubes put in his ears. When he came out of surgery and was in the PACU he was crying and kicking and screaming. What they told me was that little children do not like the way that the anesthesia makes them feel, so they are groggy and very cranky when they come out. I don't think it is just my son because I helped a friend of mine after her little girl had surgery and she was the same way. Once the anesthesia completely wore off, I think it was a little over an hour, he was his old self, playing and giggling. It was just that immediate post-op period was very hard for me. Unfortunately for me, my hubby was unable to be there but since I work at the hospital where he had the surgery, my friends were ready to come help at any time. After the fact, I wish my hubby would have been there. I hope that this doesn't scare you, I just wanted to give you a "heads up" on how your girls might react immediately post op. May God keep your precious girls safe during surgery and help your oldest with her recovery.

I know my daughter was 6 when she had her tonsils out, but what helped was having friends her age stop in and bring surprises to her! It helped to cheer her up and made the healing time go more quickly. One friend brought popsicles and one friend brought a pair of new pajamas and some special Crayola doodle stuff.

On the other hand, I have a 2 1/2 who is about to undergo cleft palate surgery and tubes, so I have no idea what to expect with her. She's newly adopted from China and I know there is still a little bit of a language barrier. Nevertheless, I plan to tell her she's getting something to make her ears quit hurting and then that her hole in her mouth will be fixed. She's such a strong and observant girl that I'll bet she can't imagine life with that repaired.

Best wishes for your girls' recovery. At least they will be in a similar boat together! :-)

OH, one last thing: I had a book about getting my tonsils out. Keep in mind, this was a 1970's book. Well, I found another book about Nancy Gets Her Tonsils Out (something like that) and it was a great help in preparing my 6-year old for her event. Try looking up that book. Then you can have it for your next child who might need the same surgery!

You will have your hands full, but I agree that doing it at the same time is for the best.

I made a page of pictures using clip art to help them when they had their tonsils out. It had pictures of ice cream, a toilet, juice, water, hugs, etc. That way they didn't have to talk and could point to what they wanted. I also gave them a bell to ring if they needed something. That way they could get my attention when I was in another room with out talking. I HIGHLY recommend that you keep the pain meds up every 6 hours (even through the night). I set a timer to wake me up in the night. It helps to keep the swelling down and from them waking up crying (which only makes it worse). The 3-5 days are the hardest after tonsils are removed. Sometimes it can cause swelling in the ear canal and then they begin to complain about ear pain. An ice pack can help with that.

Good Luck!

Read several of your (wonderful) responses and just wanted to add one thing:
If they do give the girls (or at least your older one) a tour of the facilities beforehand, I'd suggest that you (or your husband) carry her up in your arms so she can look at everything from an 'adult' perspective (instead of her 'so alone' on the floor looking up at everything, making it all looking SO BIG and scary).

Hope that helps!

Hi H.,

I applaud your plan to help your children prepare for their surgeries. My oldest daughter had a similar surgery when she almost 3 at Rex Hospital.

What I did to help her (along with setting up the prayer team for all of us) was to shedule a tour of the day surgery area with my one of the Rex Volunteers. It took me being on the phone 5-10 minutes, but it definitely worth setting it up. We actually went for the tour two days before the surgery.

My daughter got to see the waiting area, where she'd be before the surgery, a glimpse of the doorway she'd go through with a nurse for her surgery, the post-op area, and the waiting room where my husband and I would be while she was away from us. The Rex volunteer was great in showing her "this is where your Mommy will check/sign you in and fill out a little paperwork." She showed my daughter where the coffee was, so she could her Daddy get a cup of coffee while Mommy signed her in. When we were in the post-op area, the volunteer showed her where the nurses station was along with the snacks. She talked with her about needing to eat a popsicle or something equivalent after the surgery, as one of the things she'd do before going home. She offered my daughter a popsicle or a little cup of sprite and graham crackers. I don't recall which she chose now, but she soaked it all in.

When we went back a couple days later, she was in the know and enjoyed her role of "barista" even though all she had to do was show her Daddy where the coffee was. I think her anxiety level was lower because she knew a little of what to expect.

Chances are very good that you can schedule a similar appointment, too. If you are going to Rex, just call their main number ###-###-####. If not, call the facility and ask for a little tour. (Even if they've never done it before, you could likely persuade them to do it.) You may want to keep in mind that it would probably be either mid-morning or early afternoon, when there might be less patients in the areas you want to tour. If you still have nappers, you may want to have an idea what times you'd like to try the tour before you call.

It sounds like you are armed and ready for the post-op time at home. Thankfully the time will go by quickly, and the children will forget the pain when they are older. I know it is hard to watch your child in pain, even when it from something that makes them healthier in the long run. Enjoy the snuggle time you'll get next week. Your family will be in my prayers.

All my best,
Michelle

Our ENT gave me a wonderful book that was like a comic and I read it to my little boy. He was 8 and just had his tonsils/adenoids out in March of this year. I received wonderful advice from other mothers at mamasource. I bought up all kinds of things for him, but he wanted sprite/7-up and popcicles.

One thing that I did from suggestions on here.... I woke him and gave him his pain meds and also woke him every couple hrs during first 2 nights and had him take sips of water as his throat really hurt.

Just be as honest as you can with your 3 yr old and let them know they have to leave you and go with the doctors adn that you will be there as soon as they are awake and the dr says you can see them. Let them know it may hurt and they will not be able to eat, only drink liquids after surgery.

Good luck!!
A.

H., Try not to worry about the surgery for the tonsils, I had mine removed when I was 16 and the little girl beside me was jumping up and down on her bed the very evening she had hers taken out. I believe she was either 5 or 8. My sister had both my nieces done at the same time, and they were fine also. I would try to explain that when she wakes up and her throat hurts, this time the doctor is going to let her go to sleep and take out the hurt, or something like that. And when she wakes up if it hurts just a little, it will be all over. and the hurt will go away very soon. I am sure you can explain it better, it has been a long time since I had to deal with little ones, for my little one is 25. Good luck, and I will say an extra prayer for you and your family. B.'

Be prepared to see the youngest back to herself that afternoon, but the older one will not be herself for about a week. It is awful to see them in pain for that long, my daughter just had that done in Oct and it is still very fresh in my mind, but you will not regret doing it. I say have popsicles on hand, she will not feel like eating much for days on end...push plenty of liquids too, her throat will hurt a lot and she will not want to drink. Get some new videos for her to veg on the couch and watch or get some new books to sit and read to her. My daughter was given this loppipop from our pharmacy that is actually numbing meds - she said it tasted horrible and did not like to lick it, but it did help when she did. Ask about it. You will be amazed how quickly the youngest bounces back that same day. Good luck.

My daughter had multiple surgeries from age 18 months to 8 years. Her tonsils were out when she was 3 1/2 and she cried the whole time we were at the surgery center, but calmed down as soon as I walked her out the door. The anesthesia didn't bother her although she was sore for several days. She only ate popsicles for 3 days. She had tubes twice with the adnoids removed the second time and did well. She felt fine by the next day. Just make sure you have someone to hold each of the girls; I assume your hubby will be around. Mother of 2 grown children with grandchild on the way. J. L.

Get your bed ready. Take both of them to bed with you. Play nice soft music, get an ice bucket, sodas, and whatever you can give her for pain. The baby will be fine with the tubes. And, if you medicate the 2 yr old, she will, hopefully, sleep. It is very painful! I had mine done in a doc office when I was 5 yrs old, and I still vividly recall crying with pain, and so painful to swallow. Lots of fluids and don't worry about anything to eat, although jello and ice cream are also fluids. I just remember, icecream, hurting. Make it as easy as you can on yourself with everything close at hand.

I don't know about the ear tubes but my 3 1/2 year old just had her tonsils and adenoids out on May 1st. We got the book "Bye, bye, tonsils" from the library. I think it was a little old for her but at least it gave her some idea of what was going to happen. She also got a little tour when we took her in for pre-op. I did stock up on ice cream, popsicles, juice and yogurt. She really liked the yogurt. I think the best advice I can give is to make sure to give the pain meds on schedule. The first night I missed a dose and she woke up screaming in pain. Also get the pharmacist to flavor the meds, they taste nasty and she kept spitting it out. We got the lollipops too but she would never use them. Also give them a lot of snuggle time. We spent a lot of time just cuddled together on the couch. I forgot to add that the time will go by quickly and once they are healed you won't regret it. Nicole no longer snores, wheezes or has sleep apnea. She sleeps better and is a much happier little girl.

My daughter had her tonsils and adenoids removed right after she turned 3. I got the book "Goodbye Tonsils" & read it to her several times a day for the week before surgery, as she was very responsive to books at that age. It really helped her understand. We were in recovery for about 4 hrs after she came out of surgery. She slept on & off & did throw up a small amount of blood one time, but they assured us that was completely normal. Once she drank a small amt and licked a few licks of a popsicle, we were allowed to take her home. We had a big gift basket full of gifts for her when she got home & that really helped take her mind of things. Family visited her on & off that day & brought her surprises as well. She got a big kick out of that. The previous night, I took her to the grocery store and let her pick out all of her own yogurts, ice cream, popsicles, jello....you name it. I made a big deal about how it was all just for her. She did really well with the surgery. The only thing I wasn't prepared for was how different her voice sounded for about 7 days. Really high pitched, nasally, and kind of squeaky. But, it did go away after the first week or so. Just be sure to give your oldest her medicines very, very regularly to ward off any pain. My daughter was eating cheetos the very next day if that gives you any idea how well she did! Another thing you can look forward to is that we never had another ear infection, she slept so much more peaceful, and she had a new found love for "smells". I don't think she was smelling food normally before that procedure & I never even realized it. We went to Dairy Queen a few days afterwards (like we always had) & they were making waffle cones....my daughter (from the backseat of the car) said, "mmmmmm, mama.......that smells so good!". That's the moment I realized she was smelling that same old DQ smell for the first time! It literally brought tears to my eyes when she started to smell everything she ate first. It was wonderful! =0)
My son had tubes and adenoids removed when he turned one. It was very quick and he did wonderful. No big deal at all...not even in recovery. Then, we just had a second set of tubes placed 3 weeks ago. He didn't even need anesthia with that procedure b/c it was just tubes. They carried him out to me and we got to take him straight home. He was totally, completely himself when we walked in the house. He ran and jumped straight into his ball pit in the playroom and ate a ton of lunch (even though they said he may not have an appetite that day) and then he took a 4hr nap and woke up even more himself. So, try not to worry too much, mom. You little ones will be safe and so much more comfortable after their procedures. It's the best thing you can do for them. Just follow doctor's orders and enjoy a house without a constant flow of antibiotics in it! Good luck to you and let us know how it all goes next week. =0)

Try to find some kids' books on going to the hospital--Curious George or Berenstain Bears or Mercer Meyer--something like that you can read to her about being in the hospital. Also call the hospital to see if they have any Child Life workers whose job it is to help kids cope with medical stuff. Even if they can't do anything directly for your kids, they may be able to give you ideas. Another thing--on the day of the procedures, take a small new toy for each one to distract them from pre-surgery jitters and then from the recovery. For you, pray that you can be calm; this will be the biggest help for them.

If they are having it done in a Children's hospital, I wouldn't worry so much. My oldest daughter broke her arm and dislocated her elbow and had to have emergency surgery, they talked her through it. They said they were going to put a mask on her and let her pick the smell (flavored lip balm) that is what she smelt when she was put to sleep. They told her everything on her level, so that she knew the doctors were going to help her go to sleep so they can fix her arm and it won't hurt her. When she wakes up her arm will be fixed with a bright pink cast on!

Surgery went great, but for you, be prepared for recovery. Children do not recover from the anesthesia very well. The only thing that kept me sane was knowing she will not remember any of it. Bring some snacks for you, recovery can last 2 hours or for me 10 hours. And you don't want to leave her side. (they can only give you juice and crackers).
The baby will do great, literally herself by that night! My son had his adnoids trimmed and tubes put in his ears and he recovered nicely and ate dinner that night. (cried alot more because he could hear and it scared him) so remember to talk in a lower voice for her and be prepared for her to talk loudly! That is what she is use too!

Good Luck!

My 2 1/2 year old has had five surgeries. On July 2 he had tubes put in, a partial adenoidectomy & his sinuses rinsed and cleaned. We have always just told him that he was going to the doctor, due to other issues he has seen a lot of the doctor's office and he is fine with it. We have told him that the doctor was going to do a little surgery to fix his boo boo. With the tubes (this was his 3rd set) they just bounce right back. With his adenoids, you could tell that he was in a little more pain, but was actually back to normal the next day. They told us to give him no milk products that day, soft food for a bit, keep him calm for a week (yeah right) and not to leave the house for 3 days. Keeping him calm was our biggest challenge and I hope that it will be your biggest challenge also. Take a toy/stuffed animal for both of them and something for them to play with while you wait before hand. Our doctor does it youngest to oldest, but we still always had to wait a little bit. Good luck and prayers said.

H.,
Both my kids have had adnoids and tonsels removed and both are on the 4th set of tubes each. Tubes are really no big deal they are fine that evening. But I was told by the dr.and nurses to keep pain meds in on time when it is due and they do better with eating and drinking things. And they did do better that way. Even if you think they don't need it give it to them. If they hurt they are not going to even drink. Then they get dehydrated!! Hope it goes well for you all. K.

My hubby (since we've been married) and all 4 of my kids have had their tonsils/adenoids out. The best thing you can give her is frozen tea, if she likes tea. Tea has a tanic acid that speeds the healing process. Also, you need to know that your daughter will start feeling better but then sometime between days 4-6 after surgery, she will feel horrible and it seems like you're taking steps backwards. Just know that this is normal. Prayers will be said for you!

Hi H.,
My 6 year old had her tonsils and adenoids out recently. I was so freaked out because everyone tells you that they will be in major pain for at least a few days. I can only speak from my own experience, but we had no problems. Went into the surgery center at 6:00 am, and she was at home resting on the couch by 9:30 am. The toughest part was keeping her activity level down after the surgery!
Be sure to stock up one popsicles for immediately after surgery. They told us no dairy for the first 24 hours. Be prepared for her to throw up from the anesthesia. My daughter only threw up once (in the car on the way home!), and afterward was fine.
Best of luck to you and your girls!
J.