Glue Ear & Grommets Operation For A Deaf Child

Lucky was fitted with aids in the August and this coincided with him also starting nursery.

He seemed to pick up every bug going!

His nose was constantly streaming, he was forever poorly.

Up until this point we could communicate with him without his aids; whose early mornings before I had woken up enough to reach for his aids, I'd be able to speak to him. In the bath we were able to talk to him, with him responding.

However by October I realised he stopped hearing me in the mornings.
"good morning Lucky" ignored, he wouldn't even turn
"give mummy a kiss" nothing, no acknowledgment
I raised my voice "Lucky" "LUCKY" "LUUCKKKY!!!!" nothing!

My heart stopped, his hearing must have got worse!!

I would quickly scramble for his aids, so he could hear me.

...what's happened to him??

..will he end up with a profound hearing lost??

I spoke to my ToD at deaf group and she said its likely to be glue ear.

I called to the hearing assessment unit and asked for another test ASAP

Three gruelling week wait, the ARB test confirmed he had glue ear but his nerves was still responding to a mild-moderate level *phew* it's not getting worse.. It's just temporary, I hope.

He was tested in December and the glue ear was still there so we went for grommets.

He was nil by mouth from midnight but as usual hospital operations were running late, so we wasn't seen till 11am

I took him round to theatre and they used a sedative via a mask. I was told to lay him on the bed, and 'reassured' by the two nurses to not worry he will fight and get upset but he wont remember a thing about this.. Yea, right but I will!

They held arms and legs down whilst I cover his face with this mask.. It was horrible, I thought it would be a lot quicker than that.. Seemed to feel like I was there forever (more than likely only a minute or two long).

They said to look at his pupils dilating, this showed it was working and he began to stop resisting.. Then his body went limp!

I was ushered out and remember looking back on poor boy :(

I hate the vulnerability, all the testing, I hate the fact he has to go through this when other babies don't have to!

We was told at the hearing assessment unit that the operation was only a 10min procedure.
When booking in the nurse said it will 30-40mins
Over an hour later I finally get called that he's come around.

Slightly annoyed she didn't come to get me before he came round, like she suggested she would do.

He was in a right state. He seemed out of it, sobbing his heart out. Crying for a male nurse who had clearly been there to comfort him on waking. He was clutching hold of him for dear life.

Blood oozing from his ears, I was reassured that it was normal and bilateral grommets were fitted.

I took him round to the ward to have something to eat and drink.

Whilst snuggled on my lap, I asked him "Lucky touch your head" and he did. I snuggled him closer and elated that he could hear me again without his aids..