New Ears

Just 5 weeks ago, it was brought to our attention by Abby's school nurse that she didn't exactly pass her standard hearing test at school. We weren't entirely surprised as lately she had been asking us to turn up the tv because she couldn't hear it. Coincidentally, she was scheduled for a doctor's appointment that afternoon for an unrelated matter, and when the doctor examined her ears, she had a double ear infection (unbeknownst to us, she had NO other symptoms!). So she started a round of antibiotics and we were told to come back in 10 days.


10 days later, she went back and the infection wasn't gone. In fact, the doctor's reaction after looking in her ears was "eww!" which meant it was a little worse than before. A second round of stronger antibiotics was prescribed and we were went on our way.

5 days after those antibiotics finished, we went back for another ear check. This time, the infection was still gone but the fluid remained, and we left the office with numbers of 5 local ENTs and a recommendation to pay one of them a visit.

I made an appointment with one for the following week, but just two days after the last doctor appointment, Abby's ears were re-checked at school. This time, her left ear failed and her right ear passed. I cancelled the ENT appointment for the following week and made one with a different doctor for that very afternoon. After all, your kid's hearing is not something you want to wait around to figure out what is wrong with it!

After a thorough exam and more involved hearing tests at the ENT that afternoon, we were told that Abby's ears were filled with fluid, likely due to enlarged adenoids (which he could tell without a scope by her nasally voice and when we said she slept with her mouth open). We were told that having ear tubes put in and her adenoids reduced would be the way to go to help her. We left the office with a surgery date for 1 week later.

So last Thursday, we strolled into the Westchester Surgery Center at 6 am with a 5-year old who just wanted to get ice pops after surgery and mom and dad who were quite nervous for their first surgical procedure as parents. Thankfully, the doctor's good nature put us all at ease and by 8:15 am, Abby was out of surgery and recovering. We went to see her and though groggy, she was doing great. About an hour later, we left with a kid who could hear, breathe and swallow better and parents who would rest easier knowing those things.

She had a fairly easy recovery - took it easy and rested all day Thursday and Friday, enjoying pudding, ice cream, ice pops and anything else that was soft and cold.

By Saturday, she felt well enough to go to Hebrew School and hang out with her cousins. We also noticed for probably the first time ever that she was sleeping with her mouth closed! A win/win.

Abby will have a follow-up at the ENT tomorrow when we'll hopefully see if her hearing improved, but according to her, it did - and we can tell as she isn't asking to turn the tv up to ridiculous decibels.

We are so grateful for her easy procedure and recovery and the fact that this was our first experience as parents with a child who has needed a "procedure" with anesthesia. We give a ton of credit to parents whose kids are constantly undergoing surgeries and other procedures as it is not easy to be waiting to hear from the doctor and preparing for the uncertainty that lies ahead.

We are also SO proud of our Abigail Jordan, who was more excited than scared and handled it like a champ. We're glad this is past us and we can move to Michigan with clear ears! :)