The Tonsils Must Go

Jordan went to the ENT (otolaryngologist) today. It was a strange visit: He sat there and hummed & hawed out loud while trying to figure out what the advantages of removing Jordan's tonsils would be (and he commented a few times on how easy & convenient it is to see what's going on in the back of her throat, since she holds her mouth open & her head back naturally -- she's a pediatric ENT's dream for examinations). In the end (~8 minutes later), after weighing the pluses & minuses out loud, he announced "okay, I'm game, let's go get 'em, pick a Friday." They're certainly big, and even today while she was healthy they are blocking 70% of her airway, and are reddish and a little pussy. When she's sick with anything (bacterial or viral) they get worse, and having them removed might help keep her out of the hospital and off antibiotics.

But, it won't stop all of her "gurgling" -- that is a function of her poor swallow. She holds mucus in the back of her throat instead of swallowing it down, and removing her tonsils is not going to change her actual swallowing ability. But, it will give her mucus more room to go down the hatch. It also will help the (unbelievably loud) snoring -- and maybe I won't have to sleep with earplugs anymore.

I'm a little hesitant about sending her under the "knife" for a surgery with such a bad reputation for copious bleeding, but the ENT assures us that with the coblation tonsillectomy procedure there is almost NO blood loss at all during the surgery (~20 minutes total). The coblation procedure effectively cauterizes the blood vessels & prevents bleeding. There is a 2% chance of bleeding 5 to 8 days after the surgery, and if that happens they will put her to sleep & cauterize them again to stop it -- immediately (just drive to the hospital & call him on the way & he will meet us there & do it). And with Jordan, her lack of swallowing will be to her benefit if she happens to be one of those that fall into the 2% bleeding category. Also to her benefit is her g-tube: no worries about keeping her fed & hydrated post-op.

I just hope it isn't as painful at 2.5 as it was at 28 (when I got mine out, it was horrible!). Devon was ~6 when he got his out & has nothing but glorious memories hospital ice cream, so I'm choosing to believe that tonsillectomies really are easier on kids than adults, and that the pluses will outweigh the minuses when all is said & done.