Today my husband and I are not talking about something. We are purposely avoiding eye contact and ignoring the big elephant in the room. We are both anxious. Tomorrow our eldest child, Miss L, is getting her tonsils and adenoids out.
She will be put to sleep. People will be cutting her and prodding her. She will be alone. She will be scared.
We will wait outside holding each other’s hands tight. We will be terrified.
And when she wakes she will be in pain. She won’t understand why we have let this happen to her. She will struggle with medicine. She will be miserable. We will be miserable watching her.
Today we ignore it, but we worry.
I just want it to be one week later. I just my baby to have got through this week. To be better.
Have you watched your kids struggle with pain? Do you have any tips?
bigwords xx
Hi, I'm Bianca Wordley, I write about life.
Tricky was little when he had his operations so I have no idea how to handle an older child! I suspect lots of kisses and cuddles though! When my sister had her tonsils out, she got to take in a special toy with her to the operating room – a monkey. When they both came out, monkey had a surgical cap and face mask on 🙂
Best of luck xx
I agree with Glow, the special toy that comes along and has the operation with her is a great help. Moo Moo the monkey has had 4 ear ops and his adenoids removed (he still has one of his tubes sticky taped to his ear). We will be thinking of you all tomorrow xx
My eldest had his tonsils out at 6. Trust me when I say they handle it much better than we do. He also had a hernia fixed around the same age. Kids are tougher than we give them credit for, it’s us parents who are soft lol
It’ll be ok B. The next week will fly by & she’ll be perfect xx
I haven’t experienced this with my child yet but my niece and nephew both had the same procedures. We made sure they got lots of visitors at the hospital, got special treatment, gifts/balloons etc so they would focus on the positive. They coped really well, better than when I had my tonsils out at 23!!!
Number one bit of advice. Don’t pretend it’s not going to hurt. Be honest.
Get her prepared for it to hurt at times and that she can ask for help and the nurses are there to help make the pain go away. The worst shock for a child is parents who tell them it’s not going to hurt trying to not scare them prior to the op, and then it hurts. They are betrayed and scared.
Let her know, the pain will go away, but it will be there. No pretend it won’t be.
Compare it to things she knows and is comfortable with, like her throat will be sore like when she’s got tonsillitis, like they may or may not give her a needle in her hand which will feel like a quick scratch. Show her she’s felt all those things before and been fine and she will be fine this time too.
Also, the nurses and doctors are amazing with kids and will help a lot. But I can’t stress enough how important it is for her to be prepared for the pain, and know she will be ok after. Of course, don’t forget the ice cream!
Good luck!
x
Hugs. That’s all I have to say. I haven’t seen my girl go through it yet, but it’s coming later in life and there’s nothing we can do about it. Already dreading it. x
I had my twins have this operation last year and at age 10 it was still terribly worrying. One came out of the anaesthetic really well the other was almost hysterical. Just be there for her and have her special toy (whether it is a new one or a beloved old one) ready. My girls were pretty sore and sorry for themselves for the first 24 hours but made rapid improvement after that. ((hugs))
When Georgia was a wee tyke, she smashed her face open on a metal table. I had a 2 month old baby at the time, and G had to have plastic surgery (under a general) to stitch her back together. I was beyond terrified, and holding her while she was put under was one of the worst things I’ve seen, but she was fine, and we were fine, and everything was fine.
I’ll be thinking of you all!
Yes… son has had two grommet ops and adenoids out. We suffer worse that they do. Ask to go into the theatre with her while she’s put under. That helped us. Good luck. xxxxx
Children understand far more than we think. Have you explained what is going to happen and why it must be done? Have you explained that her throat will be very sore when she wakes up, just like when she gets sick, but it will soon be better and then she won’t get the tonsillitis anymore? I hope you’re not planning on taking her to the hospital and handing her over with no explanation at all, well of course you won’t, I’m being silly here. She will cope and be fine.
I worked in the Childrens Hospital and found they get over things much quicker than adults.We as parents worry for more but just cant help ourselves.We are their protectors.
Always let them know as much as you can about what to expect.Let them take their special toy or blanket etc with them.One thing I found really great was to have a new Barbie doll or toy they wanted ready for them after surgery.Really helps get their mind off their pain and they have a new thing to care for while they are recovering.
Hope all goes well.Im sure you will suffer far more than your beautiful little one.Big hugs.xx
I have no experience of this so I can’t offer any helpful advice. Wishing Miss L the speediest of recoveries x
My middle daughter has had the same op. She was 2 years old. It was hard but she was a really tough nut. Soon it will all be behind you and she will be much better x good luck
Had both of my kids done on the same day! One night in hospital, one week of hell, and then a whole lot less problems. You are doing the right thing xx