He Asked For Milk

Today Acorn had surgery - tonsils out, new tubes in his ears, and a sedated hearing test for good measure.

We always knew that surgery would eventually be harder as he got bigger and older and more aware and more able to communicate....and apparently we're there.

The morning started with him asking for milk - not such a big deal anymore, because he can do that easily in sign language. Only this time, I had to say no. No, I'm sorry, no milk this morning. 

Which he followed with "milk please. "

Again, "No, I'm sorry, no milk this morning."

"Hungry. Milk please." as he led me into the bathroom, where we keep the cooler that usually has his special high calorie "milk" for the morning.

And so I said, "no milk this morning, but we can go watch a movie...."

He remembers everything he sees.  The toys in the surgical waiting area were great....but walking back to pre-op, the complaints started. And yet for all the complaining....he willingly went back with the anesthesiologist without any Versed. Stickers were enough of a bribe for him to go.

Everything went well. His hearing is fine (which means that the issues we see really are processing issues, not physical issues). In the recovery room, though, his sats dropped into the 70s as he started to rouse, in part because he wasn't swallowing secretions....and in part because he's always needed a little more O2 after surgery, and having been sick all winter, he really wasn't starting out at baseline.

So, we're hanging out in a room on the floor for now, waiting to see if we can get him off the O2 before the doc leaves at 4:30, arguing with people who want to make him more comfortable...but want to check his vitals first, which just sets him off in a tizzy again. As long as he can drink his "milk" and watch his favorite movies, he's in a decent mood.

But still....this has been both more and less difficult than any of us anticipated......