Versed...The Devil's Brew for Kiddos!

We're home but it definitely was not the smooth sailing experience everyone kept saying it would be. It's looking like Alex handles anesthesia like I do and he was brought to us from recover SCREAMING bloody murder in some nurses' arms. He had emergence delirium and that combined with his OCD about stuff on him that won't come off did not bode well for the IV they wanted him to keep in. I had to restrain him, and Eric and I worked very hard for 20-40 minutes (hard to keep track of time with a hysterical toddler in your arms) to get him calm enough to sip juice. We had been told that that was the magic action that would let us take out the IV, but he sipped his juice and still the nurse wanted us to keep the IV in. I finally told her he was going to continue freaking out (and not just crying, he was hysterical, inconsolable and the additional medicines they gave him to calm him down did nothing) until they took it out. I had to listen to a lecture on how they wouldn't be able to do anything for him if they took it out, how we should put a band aid on him whether he liked it or not, yada yada yada... and finally I was vindicated when they took the IV out and he calmed down because I could walk him around. When will medical personal begin to realize that for all their training, parents frequently have more insider information on their children?

For the next 45 minutes he would drift off and then startle awake screaming again and we would have to work to calm him down all over again. He had one last round of hysteria when I put him in the car and is now finally sleeping at home. I'm really hoping he wakes up more secure in his surroundings. His poor little nose is all bloody and I'm sure he'll wake up with a heck of a headache. Eric is off putting in a brief appearance at work, getting Alex's medicines and some applesauce and should be back soon and my mom is here now ready to help if needed.  

That was an absolutely miserable experience and although they said he is probably predisposed to the delirium since he fights the anesthesia and wakes up too soon like me, the Versed also causes a significant amount of kiddos to react like that so beware if you have a little one going in and they need that medication to stay calm.  

Other than the screaming, the day went okay, he did good when we got there (I think the tour was a great idea since he was very familiar and was showing Eric things he remembered), and apparently he did well during the surgery itself. The Dr. said his adenoids were just enormous and even bigger than he had suspected and it's a good thing they came out now. This could be a good portion of his sleep problem so we'll see if that improves in about a month. The part of the surgery to open up his sinus drainage went well too and they were able to flush out all the infection that was in there so he will hopefully be feeling better within a few weeks. I'm off to eat something since I feel sick as anything due to nerves.

Moral of the story: Prep, prep, prep! Prep the kiddo, prepare yourself, and prepare for the worst. That way nothing comes as a shock and if it does all go smoothly you'll be sitting pretty!