Tubed

Max saw an ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat specialist) today, and as expected, the boy needs tubes.  I had many concerns going into the appointment; he's in pain with earaches and irratable all the time, he's constantly on antibiotics which I'm VERY uncomfortable with, he isn't sleeping well... but perhaps the most obvious problem didn't even occur to me.  His speech.

Max babbles.  He says "Mama", "Dada" and "Ba" But we're still not completely sure he knows what they mean.  When the doctor asked how well he talked and I just looked at him and said "well, he doesn't talk"  We were immediately sent in for a hearing test where Max didn't exactly fail, but he didn't exactly pass either. Poor kid hears about as well as he would sitting at the bottom of a swimming pool.

The doctor said that we had two choices moving forward, we can just keep doing what we're doing and hope he grows out of it, which means more ear infections, pain, antibiotics, loss of sleep and a delay of his speech development... or get tubes which should immediately restore his normal hearing and greatly reduce the amount of ear infections he gets, and if they do get infected, they can be treated with ear drops instead of oral antibiotics.  The big risk is he'll need to be put under general anesthesia (which makes me nervous) and we'll have to be real careful about not getting water in his ears until his ear drum heals (until the tubes fall out).  There's also a small risk that his eardrum will not seal up completely once the tube falls out and he'd require a second surgery to patch the hole.

Well it took us all of 30 seconds to decide to go with the tubes.  We'd actually decided on them before we went to the appointment, but the speech delay sealed the deal for us.  I had no idea that could be his problem!  It also occurred to me that some of his insecurity, the way he's so clingy with me, could be due to his hearing problems. I know I'd be a little insecure if I couldn't hear properly.

So, on June 23rd he'll be going to Primary Children's Medical Center, exactly one year since his last stay there the week he was born.  Thankfully this time though, it'll be a shorter, much less stressful stay.

Comments

[marianne ottesen]

Hi Jamie both Mie and Liv has had tubes in the ear and it helped them alot. So just go for the tubes, I really hope it will help Max, so painful for him to have all these ear problems. Svend and Mette (you know my brother and his girlfriend) are in Portland/Oregon now. They have been gone for 7 days now. I`m taking care of my niece Sophia while there gone, they come home in 3 days. So thats along time she is away from her parents 10 days. they might be moving over there in the near future. How far is Portland from Salt lake ?
Love Marianne

[Jen Beans]

I felt a sad and happy emotion all at once, happy with tubes and almost a little teary about primary childrens I am happy he is going there but emotional you know, I couldn't even begin to know how you feel hopefully your just fine and I am the weirdo. I think you are making a very good choice, but if the emotions sneak up on you or they have I am here for you and the fam. now so let me know if you need anything. Alex can definitely come over that day and have a some PBandJ and play.