ENT Follow-Up

Miss M had her follow-up with the ENT today. We went to the clinic at the hospital - and got to wait in one of the coolest waiting rooms ever. It was divided into several sections, each with a few books, a toy large enough for kids to share, and a tv. We also had a restaurant-style pager to let us know when it was our turn (yes, it's a large office with many doctors and several specialists). Miss M thought the pager was a remote - it was funny to see her try to change the channel between shows! When she couldn't get it to work, she asked me to change the channel!

Over to the left in the photo are some large glass panels - the 'hallway' on the other side has one wall made of large fabric panels. There are photos and videos projected on to the wall, chairs where you can sit and watch, and spotlights that project images on the floor, as well. On the far end of the hallway is a model train (inside a plexiglass case) that kids can use switches to control. A.Ma.Zing.

One of the nurses had to come get us because it turned out our pager battery was dead. On the walk back to Dr. E's office, she commented on the flowers on Miss M's jacket. Miss M replied, "It matches the flowers on my shirt." The nurse then looked at me and said, "You have your hands full, don't you?" Um, yeah. Miss M also picked out her own shoes that morning - sandals in spite of the chilly weather. I'm learning to just go with the flow on the clothing issues - Miss M can be ... particular.

When she got on the scales to be weighed, I learned that Miss M has topped 30 pounds - she's big enough for a booster seat now! Thanks, but I think I'll use the 5-point harness for as long as I can....

So, how'd the visit go? Miss M has had a bit of a cough post-tonsillectomy, which I brought up with Dr. E. It's a dry cough, and we only hear it when she wakes up (usually in the middle of the night). I wasn't sure to worry about it or not, and part of me expected Dr. E. to say that Miss M might be doing it for attention (having learned during her recovery period that it really got our attention - and extra snuggles, and cups of water in the night, and...). That was not what she said. During Miss M's surgery, since she has a history of croup, Dr. E took a look down M's windpipe and took a sample of the fluids she found there. As it turns out, Miss M was having some reflux issues. With the tonsils out of the way (they had been causing some aspiration - pathology found some fat molecules in the fluids from the bronchoscopy), the products of (what we think is) reflux are causing her some irritation, leading to the cough. It's posible that there's still some inflammation causing the reflux, so we have an antibiotic for 4 weeks and Prevacid for 8 weeks (both starting now), and a follow-up with the ENT at the end of 8 weeks. At that time, it may be possible to discontinue the Prevacid, we will just have to wait and see. Otherwise, all is well - her ears and throat look great.

When we scheduled our appointment with the secretary, she offered Miss M a sticker. Miss M asked for two, but I made her pick one. On the way out of the office we went past the nurses' desk - and the nurse who originally took us into the exam room offered Miss M a second sticker. Oh, yes, I will certainly have my hands FULL.