Tubes In

So Victoria got the tubes put in her ears today. It was a very interesting experience.

We get to the hospital and go through the obligatory paperwork. Then we end up in the pre-op area. Here a doctor a nurse and an anesthesiologist ask us basically the same questions and give us basically the same briefing on the surgery. OK, nothing wrong with some redundancy and saying the same things over and over.

Then they give Tori an oral sedative. At this point they tell us that in 15 minutes she’ll be going in. Of course 15 = 30 at a hospital. But we get to watch Tori get drunk.

Can you remember the first time you were drunk? Me neither, but try to imagine it. Tori starts slurring her words. And she’s aware of the fact that she’s slurring. Which is hilarious to her. So for about 15 minutes straight, she’s just cracking herself up.

20 years from now, if I ever go out drinking with Victoria, I now know that she’s a very happy drunk.

It was the funniest thing ever. And finally it really is time for her to go in. I have to carry her because she is in no condition to walk.

So then we wait.

Thankfully not for very long (especially since they had declined to heat the waiting room). The doctor came to tell us that everything went well and she’d be ready for us to go see her in a little bit.

Then came the hard part. We were warned that kids come out of anesthesia very agitated and can be upset for the next hour. I was assuming that they were giving us the worst case scenario.

Maybe not.

Tori was upset, wanting nothing except to go home, and cried for about 45 minutes. At first we tried to figure out things that would soothe her, but it clearly became clear that this was just about waiting it out. And when it finished, it was like night and day.

We had Tori back.

She suddenly shifted gears and started joking and laughing. It was fairly instantaneous when the anesthesia finally worked its way out of her system.

And that was it. She is already saying she can hear better. She is totally fine. Ready for school tomorrow and a flight to Florida the next day.

So an interesting day.