Rylee's Surgery

Her bags are packed and we are headed to surgery

(New pajamas thanks to Caity!!)

Yesterday was the first of two surgeries Rylee will have on her ears. The doctor started with the right ear yesterday, with the hopes of finding out what was causing the hearing loss. We had to check in at the hospital at 9:45 for Rylee's surgery at 11:15. She was so sweet and almost excited about her surgery. She told Nolan before we left, "You need to stay here with Grandma, I am going to go to the hospital and get my ear fixed, love you!" It was the sweetest exchange ever, he then gave her a hug and we left on our way.
Everything went so smoothly at the hospital and it sure helped keep all of us calm. Rylee started with getting weighed and measured and then into a room for her vitals and to change into her hospital pajamas. We waited in the room for a bit and then it was into the pre-op room where they had toys and craft activities for Rylee to do while we waited for the doctors. First her surgeon, Dr. Muntz, came out to speak with us and explain what he would be doing today, then her nurse came out to say hi, and last was her anestesiologist who took her back to surgery.
She got to drive a car back to surgery and was so sweet and calm as she went behind the doors and we went into the waiting room to wait for the outcome.
She had two different procedure done yesterday on the right ear. The first is called a Tympanoplasty. (Tympanoplasty through the ear canal is an operation to patch the eardrum and evaluate the bone that carry the sound from the eardrum to inner ear. The eardrum is lifted up and a tissue graft is placed beneath the old eardrum to allow healing. Dissolvable packing is used in the middle ear and ear canal to keep the graft in place.) This first one was to explore what was going on in the ear. The second procedure is called Ossicupolasty. Ossicupolasty surgery is a procedure to repair the middle ear bones that cause hearing loss. This surgery is the one we were hoping to have, and we did have it. The hearing bones consist of three different bones. The first two can be replaced with an artificial bone if there is something wrong with them, but the third bone sits too close to the hearing organ to remove it and replace it. Well, the problem with Rylee's ear was the third of the three bones. When he got in the ear and evaluated the bones the third bone was stuck and not moving. Since it did not move the sound could not vibrate through the ear. Dr. Muntz was able to loosen the bone, reposition in and mobilize it. The success rate of this procedure is 75%, so we are hopeful but we will not find out until November 15 when Rylee has a hearing test. The good news is there was something wrong, so we are excitedly awaiting November to come!
Originally we were planning on staying the night, but the doctor decided that if she was doing well we could go home around 6:00pm.
At first we were a little nervous about going home with her because we could not get her pain managed and under control. The nurse gave her a fast acting pain and anxiety medication through her IV and once she got that she calmed down and started doing much better. After a little nap she decided she was ready to start eating and being much nicer. Once her pain was controlled and she was eating and drinking we decided that it was going to be good to go home. She got to ride in a wagon on the way to the car, and was happy to see Grandma and Nolan waiting for her outside.

Getting her blood pressure checked

Waiting for the nurse to come back

Playing Tic-Tack-Toe

Playing with stickers

Driving back to surgery with her Anesthesiologist

Finally taking a nap after surgery (it lasted 20 minutes)

In her wagon ready to go home