Tear Duct Probing

This is not really how I pictured my Valentine weekend. In fact, I never really wanted to see Margaret in any sort of hospital pjs or cribs ever again! However, Wade and I made a choice last week to go ahead with the tear duct probing surgery.

Margaret's tear ducts have been clogged for practically most of her life. In the past few weeks the drainage really backed up, and Miss Moo had constant yellowy-greenish goo coming out of her eyes. This lovely goo would stick like cement all over her eyelashes and lids and irritate her poor skin. The pediatric ophthalmologist, Dr. E., agreed that Margaret's tear ducts were clogged and told us that they could eventually open and clear on their own, but he also said they could continue to do this for another year or many more years to come. That's why after three weeks of trying to clean the cement off of her eyes every thirty minutes we decided to go ahead with the surgery.

The tear duct probing is actually a really simple quick procedure. However, most infants would rather you not hold them down, force their eyes open, and insert a metal probe into the corner of their eyes. This fact complicates the procedure and requires an anesthesiologist to be present during the operation.

So Margaret had to undergo general anesthesia to have surgery this morning, which really scared us. Once again Wade and I had to hand our child over to doctors and nurses and put our trust in their abilities and our faith in God.

We arrived at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital around 5:55 AM this morning with our sweet little girl still in her pjs. She wasn't allowed to eat past midnight, so we were a little nervous about that. However, she did a wonderful job for the first hour. She played in the waiting room, while we checked in and signed all the papers. Then the nurses took us back to a holding room. They took her vitals, and we changed her into her hospital pjs. She was actually pretty happy and thought the crib was cool.

Her sweet nurse even brought her a few toys, this awesome car, and her favorite Leapster table. She started thinking this place wasn't too bad.

We had a good forty-five minute waiting period in the holding room, but Miss Moo held it together (and so did her parents). Then Dr. E. and the anesthesiologist met with us to discuss the procedure. Finally, around 8:05, they took Margaret back for the surgery. This is what she looked like right before she left---poor eyes. :(

We only had to wait thirty minutes or so before Dr. E. met with us in the waiting room. Then the nurses took us back to see Miss Moo. That was definitely the worst part. She didn't fully wake up for another forty-five minutes. She was screaming, arching her back, hitting, and holding her breath, which made her oxygen level dip (not fun to witness). It's hard when you can't comfort your child. Breastfeeding is the only thing that would soothe her, and every time I would try to stop she would have an angry fit.

Eventually they moved us to our own room and that change in atmosphere really calmed her down. She finally opened her eyes fully which made us feel so much better. However, she was bleeding from her eyes and nose, and she was really swollen.

Such a brave girl!

Ten minutes later the nurses were ready to send us home! I guess opening your eyes and not fighting are the going home signs.

We are so blessed to have this precious little girl!

Thank you so much for your prayers!

I've been meaning to post this picture of Miss Moo and her favorite four-legged friend, Miss Mabes---I think it is one of my new favorites--enjoy!!!