Sick, Sick and Sick

So, it's January 20th and Joshua has already missed seven days of school since the start of 2011. Poor baby started the year out with strep throat and now has a nasty virus with a high fever that just keeps hanging on. He has been plagued by high fevers & viruses since he started kindergarten last year. We're really concerned about the amount of school he's missing, but what else can we do? I'm so blessed to be able to be home with him without fear of missing work. Been there. Done that. I spent the first three years of their lives worrying about missing too much work, thinking that anyday I'd be fired. Somehow, that big lay-off was a blessing for us in the end.

Well, after a visit with our pediatrician on Monday, we decided it would be worth it to take Joshua to see an ENT. Thankfully, we were able to get him in to see Dr. Leary very quickly. Dr. Leary did the boys' tubes and Jaron's adenoids when they were about 18 or 19 months old. In the last couple years, we've started to wonder if we should've had Joshua's adenoids removed as well. While I realize that all children are different and everyone has a different immune system, Jaron has probably been sick three times total since his surgery. Joshua has been sick countless times and we're now having to think about making up school hours for him. I'm not talking about little colds and sniffles or even low-grade fevers. Joshua gets fevers of 104 or 105 when he gets sick, and as a mother, it scares me to death sometimes.

So, we go see Dr. Leary, with the idea that we can remove his adenoids and all will be well. We were surprised to hear what he had to say! Apparently, the recurrent fevers can be helped by removing the adenoids and the tonsils. I really wanted to avoid removing his tonsils if we could, but Dr. Leary assured us it was best. Next, he looked in his ears and said "I'm seeing some retraction." I have no idea what that means... He said "there is some fluid and pressure build-up in there." He looks at me and asks, "Is he having trouble hearing?" Honestly, in the past couple of months I was starting to wonder if Joshua was having problems hearing. I have to regularly repeat myself, he asks "what?" or says "I didn't hear you." But, I just attributed it to him being a distracted six year old boy. But, then it all clicked and made sense. Nathan says, "No wonder he's always yelling in my ear. He can't hear!" I say, "That would explain him having trouble in school." So, along with the removal of his tonsils & adenoids, he'll also be getting a second set of tubes in his ears. February 4th is the day.

I know he's nervous and we're trying not to overwhelm him with information unless he asks questions. Of course, I have lots of emotions about it all: relief, hope, worry, fear. I mean, my baby is going under anesthesia. I know the surgery is routine, and both boys have been under anesthesia before. It's just not something you like to think about, you know?


So, keep Joshua in your prayers. Prayers for the procedure to go smoothly, for his recovery to go well and that all of this will result in overall improvement of his health.

Joshua bundled up indoors because of his fever.