Jenkins' Ears - Round 4

Well, believe it or not, but we made it through Jenkins' 4th ear surgery. This time the procedure was to repair a hole in each eardrum that the previous sets of tubes had left behind. The hole in the right eardrum was significantly larger then the one on the left so luckily they only had to cut behind the right ear. I've got to say that this hospital experience was by far the worse we've ever had with Jenkins. I'm not sure if it is his age, the fact that he was under anesthesia for much longer than any other previous time or the fact that we had to be there at 5:30am and they didn't take him to the OR until 10:10am! (uurrghhhh) Needless to say, Jenkins was NOT a happy camper going without food and drink until after 10am!

The procedure went well, I guess. Technically, we'll find out in a few weeks if the grafs took or not. I'm praying they do b/c I really don't think I'll be able to get Jenkins near a hospital again anytime soon. Can't say I blame him! Anyway.....the procedure required the ENT to cut behind the right ear (basically pulling it forward) and then removing tissue for the graft on the left ear (which they were able to do through the ear canal) and then using some cartilage to mend the hole in the right eardrum. The procedure took more than two hours and let me say, that I'm not a good waiter. (Not a surprise to most of you, I'm sure) When we were finally able to see him in recovery, he was coughing, gagging, crying in pain and the blood tinged bandages on his right ear was was more than his momma could take and I promptly tossed my cookies (well, actually pork chop but you get the idea). Johnny and the nurses teased me but hey, it's who I am. If someone I love is in pain I simply throw up or pass out. It's how I show my love! :o) After three doses of pain meds and three doses of meds for nausea we were wheeled back to the Day Hospital. Once there, Jenkins made our life a living you-know-what for a couple of hours. He was cranky....irritable....and just miserable. He was in pain....still gagging. He was kinda funny when he told Johnny that he didn't want him to hold the 'barf bowl' but then got mad he was having to hold it himself and then tossed it across the room. And let's not mention the numerous times he got upset b/c we were touching him (but not rubbing his back) or taking up too much of the bed (when he insisted that one of us lay with him). You get the picture. Finally he settled down and fell asleep for about 2 hours and woke up as the little boy that I know and love.

We finally were released from the hospital around 6:15p, (yes.....over 12 hours in the lovely McLeod Day hospital) and once we got home, Jenkins went to bed and would have slept through the night, had we not had to wake him to take meds every four hours. He woke up yesterday just as happy as a six-year old boy could be. He only took regular Tylenol (not the prescription stuff) throughout the day and seemed like he was on the mend. Today, however, he woke up in a foul mood and went back to sleep once I got him to my parents house. Then after my mom finally convinced him to eat something, he threw it all up. Now he is just kinda laying around, not doing anything - totally unlike my Jenkins. I so wish he felt better.

Behind his right ear looks gross! The ENT put stitches on the inside and used surgical glue to seal the ear back in place. He then placed steri-strips on top of that. All of this would have been fine provided they had cleaned up the area behind the ear before putting the glue and steri-strips on. Now the area has blood back there that we can't seem to remove and they got the glue in his hair. Of course, we can't get his ears wet which makes washing his hair ridiculously hard. But we are going to give it a try tonight...so wish us luck. Jenk also has this weird contraption to wear over his right ear when he sleeps. It protects the incision should Jenk roll over in his sleep and his ear get smushed, etc. The left ear appears to be doing well......it just the right one that we worry over. I tell you - it's been an ordeal! One that I hope and pray is over with. Keep your fingers crossed that from here on out his ears will be perfectly healthy!