It’s been nearly two weeks since Nora’s tear duct probing.  I’m so glad that it is over but honestly it wasn’t nearly as bad or traumatic of an experience as I had thought it would have been.  Here’s how things went:

On Tuesday morning,March 15th, Scott and I got up and ready.  Nora decided that she would sleep in which was honestly a great thing considering that she had to fast.  She couldn’t have anything to eat or drink after midnight.  When she woke up, I quickly dressed her in a sweat suit and we headed for the car. Scott and I drove Nora to the hospital which was about 25 minutes away.  Her procedure was scheduled for 9:30am but we were asked to be at the hospital by 8:30am. Once we arrived at the hospital, we checked in and then waiting in the waiting room.  We distracted Nora with toys and by looking out the windows at the birds and squirrels.  I knew that if she had time to think about it, she’d definitely ask for food.

A little bit after 8:30 we were brought into a pre-op room where Nora was given some toys to play with and we were asked a few basic questions like her height, weight and if she was on any medications.  Nora didn’t seem the least bit phased by any of this.  She played with the toys and during that time we changed her our of her clothes and into a hospital johnny.  She was given a bracelet for each wrist and one for her ankle.  Then a nursing student came in and brought in the mask that they’d be using to administer the anesthesia.  Nora was reluctant at first to touch it but eventually did.  They put strawberry flavored lip gloss inside it and encouraged her to smell it.  This was to help prepare her for when they’d place it over her mouth.

Since only one of us was allowed in with her, Scott and I decided that I would ride into the operating room with Nora and he’d wait in the pre-op area.  I had to wear a white suit, shoe covers and a hat.  Nora thought this was pretty funny.  Then I got into the bed with her and the team of doctors and nurses wheeled us into the operating room.  This was the first time I had ever been inside an operating room and boy was it bright!  You always see them on TV with all the lights and stuff but I didn’t realize how bright it really is.  Once we were in the operating room, I got off of the bed and helped move Nora to the operating table.  She was a bit clingy to me at first, not knowing what was going on, but she eventually got on without a fuss.  The nurses and doctors couldn’t believe how compliant she was being.  I helped her to lay down and then held her hands as she clutched one binky and sucked on another.  She looked a bit scared but never cried.

Then the anesthesiologist put the little mask over her face and she looked up at me and started to whimper.  It broke my heart.  She didn’t fight it, but just looked so sad.  I just held her hands and talked to her and in less than a minute she was asleep.  At that point, I left the room.  It was so hard to do but I knew that she was ok and that I’d be with her in a few minutes.  I met back up with Scott and we headed out to the waiting area.  Within about three minutes after sitting down to wait, the doctor was coming toward us.  She said that Nora was all done and that everything went great.  Nora was in the recovery room starting to wake up and we were brought to her.  She seemed scared but wasn’t crying.  She did eventually start fidgeting and crying when she saw us but I think it was because she wanted to get out of the bed.  She kept asking to leave.

In the recovery room, she got to snack on some Cheerios, apple juice and graham crackers and she watched Elmo on TV.  Coincidentally Elmo’s World was about going to the doctors.  We stayed there for about 20 minutes then got Nora dressed and were ready to head home!

It’s been almost two weeks and her eye looks great!  I had to give her eye ointment for the first week.  On Friday I thought we might be having a set back because some tears were starting to pool on her lower eye lid but I called the doctor and she said it was likely because Nora was developing a cold.  That seems to be the case.  She’s had a runny nose and slight cough for a few days now.  Her eye still looks awesome though.  No goop or wetness in it when she wakes up in the morning and no tears constantly running down her cheek.  Hopefully it will stay this way.  There is a chance it could close up but it’s not common.

Nora was such a trooper and did amazingly well with all of it.  I’m so proud of her!

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