Saturday, March 7, 2009

An update and an important question

Okay I am finally up and running. After my last post we took the computer home and hooked it up only to find out that the monitor did not work (it kind of had a little accident off of the U-haul truck.) so we just got a new one today and I'm up and running!!!!
There are so many things I want to blog about but it's late and my kids are a bit wild so I'll keep it pretty short and stick a few pics in.

The house is GREAT. We (Chris and our friend Justin) painted the kid's rooms and the master bedroom, which all turned out great but took a bit longer than we thought. Anyhow, the rooms are almost complete, still have some art and pictures wrapped up somewhere in the garage that need to be hung up in the rooms and until they are finished I'm not posting pics, Sorry!

So, on to my question.... Ella had an ENT appt this past week. A couple of weeks ago we were at a follow up to Ella's ear tubes and she was sleeping in my arms. The doctor kept staring at her while he was talking to me and finally stopped and said "does she always do that?" What? Oh the stop breathing thing, yeah. So, he wanted us to see another doctor in the practice. That appt was this past Tuesday. The doctor asked me a few questions and then looked in Ella's throat (actually looked, everyone attempts this but she puts up such a fight I don't think anyone has ever managed.) Anyhow he says that Ella's tonsils and adenoids need to come out. He says she has obstructive sleep apnea and that her tonsils were not just normal size in a small structure but large for a "typical" 2 year old and in a very small structure, her tonsils are almost touching each other. So I understand why he wants to take them out and I even went ahead and scheduled the surgery, March 20th, but of course I'm a bit worried. When Ella was first born my mom met a couple in the Seattle airport on the way down to Texas to be with me. This couple had a, at the time, 2 year old daughter and her advice was do NOT let them take out her tonsils and adenoids. Her daughter had hers out around the time she turned 2 and it caused her to have swallowing problems so they had to add thickening agent to all of her drinks (which we have been there done that and it's not that big of a deal to me but I do NOT want to go backwards.) So I guess my question is how did having the tonsils and adenoids help your child (I know a lot of kiddos with Ds have this surgery) and was there a downside? I don't really know that I have an option, she would NEVER wear a CPAP mask, I can't even get her to wear socks through the night, but I want to make an informed decision!!! Here are some pics I took of Ella while playing around with my camera right before we moved out of my mom's house. Ella was nice and
sedated by the magical paci.

16 comments:

Krissy said...

So glad you're enjoying your new house! These pictures are precious, I'm partial to the one where she's kissing her kitty.

Cammie Heflin said...

Addysen had the surgery last April. She didn't have any problems with the surgery but I do think she was uncomfortable for a week or so. Fortunately she is tube fed so we didn't have to wait until she would drink since she wasn't given the option! ANyway, it did wonders for her, she was totally O2 dependent and after she healed we redid a sleep study and she was able to go off of her O2 full time so I think it was definitely worth it, good luck Ella!

Violette's Mom said...

No advice, but I'm glad you are up and running again!!! I needed a fix of beautiful Ella!

Anonymous said...

My daughter, Katie, had her adenoids out when she was about 4 years old. Except for some discomfort and awful smelling breath for about 10 days, she was/is fine. The ENT didn't take out her tonsils, though, because he felt like their size was okay...so I don't have the experience of a "T & A" surgery. :) (The part of me that never grew up after puberty always finds it funny when they call it that!)

Take care!
Sally

Ssejors said...

UGH! I hear you on the CPAP! We had our sleep study done last night for sleep apnea. I know and the Dr.'s know that Bean has sleep apnea but they wanted more info. I can't get him to wear the CPAP for more than an hour and unless he hasn't slept in a week he wont fall asleep with it on. mind you he is only 11 months. I don't know anything about T& A though! lol Good luck with the surgery! I hope Princess Ella is ok!

TUC said...

Sorry to hear about the sleep apnea. We have no experience with any ENT stuff yet. These pictures are soooo beautiful. What a little model she is. And, me too, I love the kitty kiss shot.

Rachel said...

I don't really have any advice on the tonsils and adenoids as I have never had mine out, and am not a mother yet. Just wanted to say that those pictures of Ella are beautiful. She has such pretty blue eyes!

Anonymous said...

Awwwww! I love the pics of the smoochy kitty!!! Too cute! It has been too long without getting to see her beautiful face! Of course cant wait for pics of the house too! Glad you are enjoying it though! We are sorry to hear about the sleep apnea! But hopefully the T and A surgery will correct it just fine. We definitely wont be able to forget when she is going in!! Ha! Love ya's, Aunt Tamiand family

Anne and Whitney: Up, Down and All Around said...

ella is so beautiful! I love the photo shoot with the paci & kitty :) We are seeing an ENT March 18th because Whitney still does not seem to be hearing very well - did Ella need tubes for ear infections or hearing issues? just curious... I wish I had some experience or advice about the tonsils & adenoids surgery - my advice would be go with your mommy instinct! we will be thinking of you guys on March 20th!!!

Unknown said...

Hi Kacey- I found your blog through the Hamm family and realized there are several of us connected through this cyber space and T21 (Presley in TX, Hamm family, Zoey, etc)...I was completely drawn by Ella...oh my goodness she is gorgeous.
We are new parents to a beautiful little down syndrome girl, Preslie, in Utah. She is 6 months and a tremendous joy to us, but like Ella, Preslie's DS was a complete suprise to us too. anyway, just wanted to say hello...and that Ella is so beautiful! We just had tubes put in Preslie's ears a couple weeks ago. He was also going to take the adnoides out too, but said they looked too good to bother with them, but that was something that could/might be done later with tonsils if needed. Not sure about the swollowing thing, but hope you can find your answers and sweet Ella will be just fine!
Sincerely
Michelle Therklesen

Amy Flege said...

for some reason we have tonsils.. i truly believe doctors take them out way to fast on our kiddos. maybe get a second opinion just to be sure? sorry you are going through this. its got to be NO fun!

Lynn said...

I stumbled across your blog when I googled Ella Grace. We are thinking about naming our adopted baby girl Ella Grace and I wanted to see who else had that name. Your daughter is so beautiful.

Now about the T&A. My 7 year old had it done this past summer. I am glad we did it, because we never felt like he slept well and he seemed tired a lot. The recovery part was NOT fun. For 2 weeks he was pretty much on soft food and liquids, but we are happy we did it. He sleeps so much better and doesn't snore anymore.

kecia said...

What cute pictures!! bree had the adenoids removed in decemeber when she got her ear tubes but they didn't remove the tonsils. she seemed pretty miserable for a week or so but other than that I don't think it affected much else. Good luck with you decision-I know you will make the right one and things will work out.

Cheryl said...

Ella is so beautiful! I'm glad you asked this question.I was wondering about the same thing.Ruby's Pedi. wants me to take her to an ENT to see about getting tubes in her ears and have her adenoids looked at.I have noticed that Ruby stops breathing when she's sleeping too.

Anne and Whitney: Up, Down and All Around said...

Kacey,
Thanks for the info about Ella's tubes and hearing issues... we are having the same exact thing with Whitney. We now have an appt with the ENT who did Anne's tubes (she has had 2 sets of tubes) next week.

How is everything going with trying to decide about the tonsils and adenoids??? I know whatever you do, it will be the very best thing for Ella!!!

heather said...

I found you from Kiki's blog. I first have to comment that the pictures of your daughter are so dang cute! We had Morgan's tonsils and adenoids removed a few months before she turned 2 for sleep apnea. She was never bad enough for cpap or oxygen but they were worried that over many years of mild apnea she would develop pulmonary hypertension. She hasn't had any problems since the surgery. She was really miserable for 2 weeks though and I think I let her get too dehydrated. I'd do it all again in a heartbeat though. We had her re-do the sleep study several months after the surgery and her numbers had drastically improved. Hope that helps and good luck with the surgery!