A lot of our energy in the last couple of months have been going towards getting Sweetpea ready for surgery that is scheduled for next week. This sweet little girl has been struggling for most of the years of her life with chronic ear infections and the piercing pain that accompanies those due to loss of her eardrum.
Not only does she struggle with the ear infections, she has acute chronic sinusitis and hearing loss in that ear.
After seeing the top ENT in the region without any real movement towards correction or mercy on his part towards her pain we were encouraged to travel a distance to another regional center to seek another specialist. This doctor ordered some tests and they revealed that there is a tumor growing in her inner ear. Distressing as that was to hear we were told that as it continues to spread it will effect more of her hearing and create greater permanent hearing loss if we delay any longer.
We have been going through the rounds of doctor's visits to get her pre-qualified for the surgery. Besides this we have had to keep her healthy and without an ear infection. An ear infection or a recurrence of her asthma will scrub the surgery date of the 15th.
The surgeon has said that there are three game plans: A, B and C.
A. is to open her up with a small incision behind the ear and be able to excise the tumor and put in a new eardrum. Easy peasy and we are out of the OR in 5 hours.
B. is to open up a larger theater incising the entire ear flap and laying it forward, this meaning that the tumor is more difficult to get a hold of when they are actually in there. Time frame of this is unknown, but longer.
C. Is to do B but also drill a hole in the skull behind her ear to gain a more rear access to the tumor and the time frame is blown out the window. Whew, everything in me prays it doesn't have to be C, just so much harder, ya know?
So, they have scheduled us for a cozy 4 day stay at the hospital afterward. We will see if plan B or C happen, it may change.
The travel and the stress of having the other kids far away, as well as my Beloved commuting back and forth will all be hard. We would so appreciate your prayers.
Sweetpea is ready to have the pain go away and she realizes that she will have to have some greater pain first but we are helping her not to dwell there too long. I have a small bag of tricks packed for the hospital to keep her distracted.
Her biggest concern is that the horrors of her last hospital stay with her other family will not be repeated. Those fears I cannot seem to dislodge. For 10 days she was left at the hospital with brief visits by a parent to check in with the staff on medical concerns. No one was there to support her in her pain and fear, and she is concerned that it will happen again. Even though we have done the hospital thing before this time it is planned so she has had weeks to think about it and to ponder whether or not I will go home without her or leave her alone there. (I hope there will be enough space in her trust for me to take potty breaks!)
Not only does she struggle with the ear infections, she has acute chronic sinusitis and hearing loss in that ear.
After seeing the top ENT in the region without any real movement towards correction or mercy on his part towards her pain we were encouraged to travel a distance to another regional center to seek another specialist. This doctor ordered some tests and they revealed that there is a tumor growing in her inner ear. Distressing as that was to hear we were told that as it continues to spread it will effect more of her hearing and create greater permanent hearing loss if we delay any longer.
We have been going through the rounds of doctor's visits to get her pre-qualified for the surgery. Besides this we have had to keep her healthy and without an ear infection. An ear infection or a recurrence of her asthma will scrub the surgery date of the 15th.
The surgeon has said that there are three game plans: A, B and C.
A. is to open her up with a small incision behind the ear and be able to excise the tumor and put in a new eardrum. Easy peasy and we are out of the OR in 5 hours.
B. is to open up a larger theater incising the entire ear flap and laying it forward, this meaning that the tumor is more difficult to get a hold of when they are actually in there. Time frame of this is unknown, but longer.
C. Is to do B but also drill a hole in the skull behind her ear to gain a more rear access to the tumor and the time frame is blown out the window. Whew, everything in me prays it doesn't have to be C, just so much harder, ya know?
So, they have scheduled us for a cozy 4 day stay at the hospital afterward. We will see if plan B or C happen, it may change.
The travel and the stress of having the other kids far away, as well as my Beloved commuting back and forth will all be hard. We would so appreciate your prayers.
Sweetpea is ready to have the pain go away and she realizes that she will have to have some greater pain first but we are helping her not to dwell there too long. I have a small bag of tricks packed for the hospital to keep her distracted.
Her biggest concern is that the horrors of her last hospital stay with her other family will not be repeated. Those fears I cannot seem to dislodge. For 10 days she was left at the hospital with brief visits by a parent to check in with the staff on medical concerns. No one was there to support her in her pain and fear, and she is concerned that it will happen again. Even though we have done the hospital thing before this time it is planned so she has had weeks to think about it and to ponder whether or not I will go home without her or leave her alone there. (I hope there will be enough space in her trust for me to take potty breaks!)
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