Here was our journey, as you know every kid is different.. but hopefully you will get some insight.
10am report time to surgery center. Procedure took 30 minutes.
Our doctor was Dr. Brent Lanier, Clovis/Fresno California (the best from what I heard from many people)
They would not let us see him until he started to wake up, and I saw why with other kids- they still have all the stuff hooked up to them with breathing masks on... it can be traumatic to see.
When Aidan initially woke up he was a mess, crying and silently screaming..mouth open and upset. I picked him up and held him and he was not OK. Nurses told me it was the coming out of the sleep and being disoriented (affects of the drugs).
Within 10 minutes of what seemed to be agony, my husband noticed bright red blood on his inner corner of the mouth. He quickly called the nurse over. She brought Dr. Lanier over and they saw a small bleed. He quickly decided to go back into surgery and cauterize it. Back to surgery Aidan went. 15 minutes later we were called back to a completely DIFFERENT kid...he was calm and happy. That 2nd sleep did the trick. The nurse mentioned to me that most kids when they fall asleep again, wake up 100% better. So for you... get your kiddo to fall asleep AGAIN...
Aidan was shockingly fine all that day and the next. NO pain meds needed. He slept great, he rested, took down water and Pediasures... that next 36 hours was great. He drank every 20 minutes, rested and watched TV all day...
Then day 3 happened-- lethargic all day. Cried to wake him up, would not drink anything. Called dr, if he did not improve by day 4, we would have to take him in for IV. By 5pm he was up and drinking. He just needed to sleep! Still no pain meds :)
Day 4, was like the first couple of days. Just liquids, resting, IPad all day.
Day 5... eating more solid foods, playing with little brother, and went with me to Walmart.
Day 6--- had a fun outing... eating more and more solid soft foods. But we had a SCARE... he took a nap and woke up not breathing and then having a panic attack. Called the Dr. and he said his Uvula was probably swollen and his airway got blocked. Ibuprofen is the trick! So... even if not pain... push the Ibuprofen for swelling before bed!
Day 7-12- getting better and better everyday. By day 12- eating everything like normal, just no straws yet.
NOTE: there is a voice change. His voice sounds high-pitch and (ok I am going to say it) Feminine! This is normal and it's because they are not using the bottom muscles to talk. It gets better over time and back to normal...
I can tell you that the trick to ALL of this... === fluids! We put on an alarm and we pushed so much fluids every 20 minutes. He kept that throat wet and lubricated- he had no pain and never needed pain meds. The scabs fell off, we think... today is day 12 and we never knew they fell off or if there was bleeding.
If I had to do it again with my little one:
1) 2nd sleep surgery day = calmer kid
2) liquids every 20 min no matter what
3) day 3 = lethargic. Let them sleep
4) Ibuprofen no matter what before sleep for swelling
Hope this sheds some light on the whole recovery period...
-Auggie
10am report time to surgery center. Procedure took 30 minutes.
Our doctor was Dr. Brent Lanier, Clovis/Fresno California (the best from what I heard from many people)
They would not let us see him until he started to wake up, and I saw why with other kids- they still have all the stuff hooked up to them with breathing masks on... it can be traumatic to see.
When Aidan initially woke up he was a mess, crying and silently screaming..mouth open and upset. I picked him up and held him and he was not OK. Nurses told me it was the coming out of the sleep and being disoriented (affects of the drugs).
Within 10 minutes of what seemed to be agony, my husband noticed bright red blood on his inner corner of the mouth. He quickly called the nurse over. She brought Dr. Lanier over and they saw a small bleed. He quickly decided to go back into surgery and cauterize it. Back to surgery Aidan went. 15 minutes later we were called back to a completely DIFFERENT kid...he was calm and happy. That 2nd sleep did the trick. The nurse mentioned to me that most kids when they fall asleep again, wake up 100% better. So for you... get your kiddo to fall asleep AGAIN...
Aidan was shockingly fine all that day and the next. NO pain meds needed. He slept great, he rested, took down water and Pediasures... that next 36 hours was great. He drank every 20 minutes, rested and watched TV all day...
Then day 3 happened-- lethargic all day. Cried to wake him up, would not drink anything. Called dr, if he did not improve by day 4, we would have to take him in for IV. By 5pm he was up and drinking. He just needed to sleep! Still no pain meds :)
Day 4, was like the first couple of days. Just liquids, resting, IPad all day.
Day 5... eating more solid foods, playing with little brother, and went with me to Walmart.
Day 6--- had a fun outing... eating more and more solid soft foods. But we had a SCARE... he took a nap and woke up not breathing and then having a panic attack. Called the Dr. and he said his Uvula was probably swollen and his airway got blocked. Ibuprofen is the trick! So... even if not pain... push the Ibuprofen for swelling before bed!
Day 7-12- getting better and better everyday. By day 12- eating everything like normal, just no straws yet.
NOTE: there is a voice change. His voice sounds high-pitch and (ok I am going to say it) Feminine! This is normal and it's because they are not using the bottom muscles to talk. It gets better over time and back to normal...
I can tell you that the trick to ALL of this... === fluids! We put on an alarm and we pushed so much fluids every 20 minutes. He kept that throat wet and lubricated- he had no pain and never needed pain meds. The scabs fell off, we think... today is day 12 and we never knew they fell off or if there was bleeding.
If I had to do it again with my little one:
1) 2nd sleep surgery day = calmer kid
2) liquids every 20 min no matter what
3) day 3 = lethargic. Let them sleep
4) Ibuprofen no matter what before sleep for swelling
Hope this sheds some light on the whole recovery period...
-Auggie
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