"Tonsils In, Tonsils Out"

Yesterday my youngest son Sean called to tell me my granddaughter Genna is going to have her tonsils and adenoids out next week. I was stunned. I knew she had been having trouble with sinus infections, sore throats, etc. but I never imagined the doctor would want her to have her tonsils out. I thought we were now living in the age where doctors have discovered the value of keeping the tonsils in as long as possible.

When I was coming along it was considered a rite of passage to have your tonsils and adenoids out. Just about everyone I knew had them out when they turned eight or nine. My brother did and I did too.

When it was my brother's turn to have his out he pitched a screaming fit. They almost had to tie him down to the gurney that was used to wheel him into the operating room. I don't know what about it all scared him so much but he definitely did not want to have it done. But once they did the surgery he did just fine in the recuperative period.

Me, on the other hand, did not. I wasn't scared at all of having the operation. I liked Dr Shealy, our doctor, and he told me I was going to be just fine and I believed him. So I eagerly went to the hospital thinking about all the ice cream and Popsicle's I was going to have afterwards. I hopped up on the gurney and told them to give me the ether, which they did.

Now this is the strange part, while I was out I dreamed there was a huge, sharp razor aimed at me and I had to keep dodging it or I would be cut in two. When I later told my mother about it she related it to Dr. Shealy. He said if the razor had ever hit me I would have probably died. It was my mind telling my subconscious about the risks of the surgery.

After the surgery was over it took a long time for me to wake up. And after I woke up I was groggy and sleepy. I spent the night in the hospital and went home the next day. At home all I wanted to do was lay around and sleep which was what my parents thought I needed to do. Some of our neighbors came over to check on me the next night and after their visit my parents walked them out into our front yard. They left me lying in bed.

When they came back to check on me I heard my mother let out a scream. My father grabbed me up and they both raced with my brother to the car. It seems I was hemorrhaging and blood was flowing out of my mouth and down my cheek. At the hospital they were told the incision was ruptured.

So that is my tonsils story and it is a bad one. I don't think things like that happen much any more. Still I will be on pins and needles until this is over with Genna and she is a-ok. If I had my way she would never require any surgery of any type, but just have a totally sickness free life. I guess every grandparent wishes that for their grandchildren.

But keep Genna in your prayers. She is only five years old and to me that is awfully young to have to go through something like this. She doesn't seem too upset by the thought of it being done, and I am doing my best acting ever by assuring her it is no big thing.

Tonsillectomy - that's a mighty big word for such a little girl.

 

 

 

 

 

©2005 Jackie K. Cooper

Click above to find out more about Jackie's books!