Op

So we got up ridiculously early on Friday morning.  Alarms were set for 6am and we were on our way by 6.30.  Matt and I snuck downstairs to eat some breakfast as Tom was being starved (we had to wake him up at 10pm and give him his breakfast then - can't say he was completely up for it but he did manage a piece of malt loaf.)

We got to the hospital for 7.30 as requested and then started the waiting game.  Tom took it all in his stride.  We didn't bother getting him dressed for the journey to Lancaster so he was still in his pyjamas.  He settled in to the play room immediately and started to play with everything.  There were two other girls waiting - a little older and looking quite scared, certainly not interested in playing.  Fred turned up and then the two were off playing with everything being loud and noisy whilst the girls clung to their parents and didn't say a word!  It certainly helps having a friend undergoing the same procedure!

We were booked in and Tom got his hands smothered in magic cream and covered with a plaster (numbs the skin so the cannula can be put in with them noticing) and continued to play.  At 9am Fred was summoned.  We were told on Tuesday that Tom would be after Fred, so we waited and waited and waited.  We then asked what was happening as we were getting worried for Fred.  Tom had been demoted and was last on the list.  Fred had come out of surgery.  It was 11.30 before we were summoned - that was a lot of play, we did everything on offer, cars, airplanes, jigsaws, computer games, you name it, we did it to try to keep the boy occupied.

Tom went happily into the theatres.  Only one parent is allowed in the theatres and Tom chose Matt, so I was left outside wondering what was happening (a very lonely moment).  Matt came out after about 5 minutes, looking quite grey and very upset.  We had been warned that they go to sleep very very quickly, but Matt was upset at the suddenness of it and also Tom's last words were, "It hurts Daddy" not what you want to hear.  Apparently the anaesthetic delivers a 'cold front' through the body so that was probably what he was referring to.

Well done Tom

The nurse took us back down to the ward and told us to grab some lunch and then wait for her on the ward.  This we did.  I was surprised that Matt could eat as he was still visibly upset.  We returned to the ward and found Fred coming too.  Apparently he was a bit teary when he first woke up, but he slept for an hour and was quite cheerful.  Caroline was also good company, so the hour's wait was actually quite bearable.  The nurse came to get us once it was all over.  This time I went into the theatre rooms to pick him up.  He was just coming round and was wide eyed and confused.  The nurse there said that he had been a superstar and told her all about Totoro (Totoro stayed with him for the whole operation).  He was wheeled back downstairs and put into bed.  He was wide eyed, looking around and looking quite sleepy so we tried to get him to go back to sleep, we should know better, there were too many distractions: it was light, it was noisy, there were people moving around, lunch was being served to the other patients etc etc.  I tried to gently convince him that he would feel better if he went to sleep, but then started to cry.  He cried and cried and cried.  It didn't matter what we did, he wouldn't stop.  In the end I thought to try him with the television.  We put it on and infront of him - he stopped instantly and was glued to the set.  What a godsend.  He then watched television for a good hour or so until he felt normal again.  Fred came to visit which also helped.

Suddenly Tom got the hunger.  He had missed lunch, having had his op so late, and the only food on offer was toast.  He was starving and went through 4 rounds of toast and jam.  He then brightened up and headed into the playroom to find Fred.  He was playing outside, so Tom went back, changed into his jeans etc and headed outside with him.  Before long he was playing football and messing around with some cars etc.  He had recovered!

Matching bandages

The rest of the day was waiting, waiting, waiting.  Recovery for adenoids is 4 hours.  Fred of course got to go home earlier at 2.30, it was 4.30 before we were released.  Tom suddenly had a loss of energy so went back to telly in bed before finally we were allowed to go.  We were armed with a huge amount of paracetamol and ibuprofen and headed back home.  Tom fell asleep in no time.  Got home and Matt made a curry (as requested by Tom) whilst I stayed in the car with sleeping Tom.  We then sat down to tea (perfect - just what we all wanted), Tom had ice cream for dessert (very unusual for him, but the adenoid removal can lead to a sore throat).  Then straight to bed for a very tired and brave little boy.  We were both very proud of him.

PS - yes it was my birthday today, but I really didn't feel like celebrating.  In fact if Matt hadn't wished me 'Happy Birthday' in the morning I would have forgotten completely.  Caroline bless her had remembered and brought a present and card to the hospital with her!  I put it all on hold till tomorrow.