Grommets

I can't leave out Zoey's big story. The first big drama of her young life.

She had her first bad ear infection at nine weeks but it cleared with antibiotics and everything was fine. In January she got another ear infection, followed by another in Feb and another one in March.

Her Doctor suggested we put her on an aggressive ten day antibiotic and after ten days take her to an audiologist to check that infection had completely cleared.

Well after ten days of fighting to get meds down her throat twice a day her eardrums did not respond at all to the tests. The darling child was basically deaf from all the fluid build up.

The audiologist suggested we see an ENT. I don't trust any of the Doctors at Newcastle, which is our closest private hospital, so I contacted her Doctor at Alberlito and he referred us to a Doctor there.

I managed to get an appointment on Monday the 7th April. Andrew and I took her down on the Sunday and had a relaxing time with just our little baby.

The appointment showed she needed grommets in both ears and that they needed to be done urgently. The fluid was causing her pain, affecting her balance and setting her back in speech milestones.

I was so freaked out about having my tiny ten month old go under anesthetic. Andrew was the calm one and Zoey couldn't have cared less.

We booked the surgery for the next day. I hardl slept that night and Zoey was fairly restless without her 3am bottle.

The check in at the hospital at 6am was very easy and the staff are so friendly and helpful. A few recognised Andrew and myself from Zoey's birth and made a huge fuss of her and how much she had grown. Zoey just loved all the attention and smiled at everyone.

The peadatric unit at Alberlito is lovely. Nice staff and a great play area. I loved that each ward had it's own bathroom and only four beds. Number of private rooms and isolation rooms as well.

Compared to Umhlangha and the horrible Hillingdon it was a really nice place.

Zoey crawled all around the ward and got very antsy about her missing breakfast and bottle.

Time seemed to move very slowly but I know it wasmy nerves.

Just after seven the theatre staff came to fetch her and Andrew carried her down.

I was too nervous to be in theatre but Andrew held her in his arms while they put the gas mask on. She hated the mask but was trying to get to the hat on Daddy's head. Apparently she went under very quickly. Andrew went outside to wait.

I fetched her blankie and some juice for her and sat nervously waiting in the ward.

I heard her coming long before she go there.

My happy go lucky baby was howling.

She was confused and feeling sick.

I cuddled her and walked up and down the ward.

We tried giving her juice but she vomited all over her babygrow. After a change it was back to walking all over the unit again.

After two hours of rocking and cuddling she eventually took her bottle and fell fast asleep.

The Doctor arrived and told us we could go home when we where ready. The nurse told us to stay as long as we needed to. So I relaxed in the big lounge chair with a sleeeping Zoey.

She woke up at 11:30 happy and smiling again. Zoey gave every nurse a hug goodbye and we headed home.

The tears and drama where horrible but it has made such a difference already.

On Wednesday she pulled herself up and cruised along using the furniture as a hold for the first time. She is making more sounds then before. She doesn't rub hers constantly and most importantly she is sleeping through the night most nights.

Well done my beautiful brave girl. I am so glad we did this.