Wide Eyed Wonder

What a long day...but everything went really well with Ella's ear tube surgery! She went to bed happy and hopefully hearing a lot better.


All smiles playing with Abbie before going in for surgery.

We arrived at St. Peter's hospital bright and early at 6am. The surgery is typically done at an outpatient center, but our doctors (ENT and Endocrinologist) agreed that Ella should be treated at the hospital. She had to have a hydrocortisone shot prior to the surgery. The shot helps her body fight the stress of surgery. It's a precaution we must take due to her hypopititarism. Once the shot was done, she was off to the OR and Jason and I were off to the waiting room. Thankfully the surgery was quick and within 30 minutes we were back with Pnut! The doctor said everything went really well. She was able to drain quite a bit of fluid from both ears. Ella's hearing should improve significantly, she shouldn't have problems with ear infections, and her balance will likely improve.


Sound a sleep on the way home from the hospital.



After a nice morning nap (she was fast asleep before we got in the car), Ella woke up to a whole new world. She was very happy in her crib and well rested when I came in to get her. Throughout the day, she would snap her head around when she heard a new sound. We were sitting outside and a helicopter flew over us....her face was priceless. She looked at me with her big blue eyes as wide and wondrous as I have ever seen.

Those big eyes make my heart melt every day, but today was even better knowing that she was finally feeling better. She is hearing things better already! I was filled with so many emotions all day...anxious over the surgery, happy that everything went well, compassionate throughout the morning for my little patient, and overjoyed by the afternoon at her "new" awareness. We took Tucker for a long walk, decorated our walkway with sidewalk chalk, and of course shared an ice cream. It was capped off by her time with Jason when he got home from work. They read The Poky Little Puppy everyday and Jason couldn't wait to read their book this time. She could always hear us, but it was like being underwater. There were smiles all around and it was truly like she was hearing the words for the first time (no lie, they read this book EVERY day!) It's such a simple thing, but watching them sit together and read the book is one of those moments you want to bottle up and save forever. I am convinced she will be reciting all the words in no time.


Jason and Ella reading The Poky Little Puppy