Hear Ye, Hear Ye

Daddy telling Ella secrets while she waited for the nurse to take her back, Baby Moose in tow. I hid behind the camera so she wouldn't see that my "eyes kept watering from my allergies."

All the goodies she racked up. Thanks Auntie Kel and Aunt Stephy!

I thought she may take a nap, or at least be sort of mellow for a while, clearly I was wrong.

Our little Ella has been struggling for quite a while with her ears. She's healthy as a horse, but if she does get sick, it inevitably winds up causing problems in her ears. Over the past 2 years we've noticed her hearing isn't so great. Her pediatrician sent her to an audiologist last year and confirmed that things weren't quite normal, definitely not a hearing deficit neurologically speaking (which was a relief), but still not quite right, especially when there is background noise. This past year she has had fluid in her ears almost constantly. Not infected, just full of fluid and bubbles. So her doc said enough is enough and sent her to an ENT pediatric specialist. He took one look at her ears and history and said she needed a tympanostomy and tubes in both ears. Todd and I were relieved in a way because we'd hate for her to start out her school years with hearing problems, and in her case, not only is it harder for her to hear, but the fluid and lack of "venting" in her ears creates a lot of pressure that is uncomfortable, and makes a constant fluttering sound in her ears. Ella has a super special sniffle (some of you may have had the privelege of seeing this) that she's developed to try and equalize the pressure and, according to her, "makes my ears not so loud." Bless her heart, that would not be a fun way to live. Todd wound up with fluid in his ears about a month ago after a cold and he said after experiencing how frustrating and annoying that feeling was, he couldn't imagine that poor Ella has felt that for so, so long. She will need the long-term tubes because this is an ongoing problem. He did say there's a chance this may not work and she may continue to have problems and need yet another set of tubes. We're hoping and praying that this does the trick.

So....today was the big day. Ella has been a little concerned all week knowing her surgery was coming up, and today was an emotional day for her - and Mommy. I think I aged 5 years. Lots of tears for both of us, but when the hardest part came - when she had to say goodbye to me and Dad and walk with the nurse to the OR, she was so brave. The doctor said her ears were full of fluid that was "like bathroom caulking" and he thinks we will all notice a huge improvement with her. All I can say is that I'm glad it's over, and that I am SO grateful to have healthy kids and that the worse thing we've had to watch them go through is minor in the whole scheme of things. My heart just breaks for people that have to watch their kids suffer through terrible sickness, disease, pain, endless procedures. I felt so helpless just trying to be there for Ella today, I can't even imagine what other parents have to experience. Thank you God for my healthy children.

I wanted to say thank you to everyone for their prayers, thoughts, calls, emails... and to Auntie Kel and Aunt Stephy for the goody bags that brightened her day. She was groggy for a while but once the pain settled down she started eating like a champ and is back to her wiley ways. The last picture is of her about an hour ago, four-wheelin' while listening to her favorite station in the Hummer - the Spanish music. Gotta love this girl, she's one tough cookie.