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Moms Alike,  Raising Littles

Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy – Before, During and After the Big Event

Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy Surgery

If you’re reading this, then chances are you or a family member is experiencing complications with their health. Someone, perhaps a doctor, has told you that it may be time to consider a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy – or one or the other.  We have been there! In 2019, our toddler had both tonsils and adenoids removed during surgery. The journey to the surgery with long but completely worth it! We’re one year post-surgery, so I hope my experience can help other families like yours.

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Here I’ll share how we prepared for the surgery, what happened before, during and immediately after the procedure, and what the recovery was like for the following 2 weeks.  I hope our family’s experience can shed some light and hope for you, as you prepare for your tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy.

Do you have a kiddo who also needs ear tube surgery? Read our story here!

Why We did a Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy

Our three-year-old had been sick as long as I can remember. Starting with colic as a newborn, she didn’t go a month in the first three years of her life without being sick. Chronic ear infections plagued us. It seemed as though a weekly fever was the norm. She was working her way through the list antibiotics, week after week. Fall and winter were the worst. During those seasons our daughter was inevitably sick from something.  

We didn’t have any pushy doctors or family members who prompted us to look into tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy surgery. Instead we were fortunate to have cautious doctors who knew that every child is different, many grow out of their illnesses, and that surgery is the last resort for any child. By the time she turned three, there were signs of long-term consequences if we didn’t consider something different: sleep apnea and hearing issues.

The sleep apnea – we heard her quiet “purring” (aka snoring) at night but didn’t think too much of it; after all, she was often sick so we chalked it up to being “stuffy.” When her child care provider brought it to our attention that she was snoring very loudly during nap time and that they were concerned about her, we told our family pediatrician. She wisely and cautiously gave us some advice. She wanted to hear what she sounded like when she slept. So she invited us to do a video recording of her which we did that night. 

We emailed her the video the following day. Her obvious snoring, paired with the size of her tonsils, prompted our doctor to make a referral for us to see an ear nose and throat (ENT) doctor immediately.

Surgery It Is!

Our visit to the Ear Nose and Throat doctor was very informative. We were fortunate to work a surgeon who specialized in pediatric issues. That was comforting considering she was three years old. The doctor also agreed with a primary pediatrician that our daughter’s tonsils were massive! Whether they were caused by her chronic illnesses or were the problem themselves is a “chicken or the egg” debate among medical professionals. Suffice it to say that she was a prime candidate for the surgery and the doctor informed us that he was taking out her adenoids as well.

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Preparing for Surgery – Helping a Toddler Understand

It’s really hard to explain to a little child why they’re sick all the time and what to expect when they have a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. We didn’t set out to make it crystal clear to her but we did want to set the stage and try to make the day as comfortable as possible. Therefore we decided to use children’s books to talk about the surgery.

Our favorite book was called Goodbye Tonsils. The main character is a little girl who is sick all the time and her doctor eventually recommends surgery. The little girl’s family throws her a party before surgery where they celebrate “goodbye tonsils”. We did the same thing! The night before surgery, we got a small cake, balloons, and I introduced her “Get Well Bin” – filled with awesomeness!  We celebrated our last night with her tonsils.

Creating a “Get Well Bin” of Activities

Recovery from an adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy is a lengthy process. We were told she needed to be hunkered down at home for at least two weeks. 14 days with the minimum. As an educator, I launched into “Snow Day Activities” mode.  I set out to create her an activity bin full of fun games, crafts, learning materials, and movies that could occupy her mind and distract her from the pain for 2 weeks.

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The “Get Well Activity Bin” was filled with lots of super cool things! We bought her new markers, coloring books, craft activities, a mermaid fabric pillow, preschool learning books, an Etch-a-Sketch, and other low-cost, high interest activities.  She also got a sweet new drink bottle (no straw because of the surgery). I put them all in a big plastic bin along with some special treats. You see we don’t drink a lot of sugary drinks in our house, so she found apple juice, juice boxes, and several packs of pudding. This was a special sight for her to see!

We also invested in several items to help her in her recovery. We bought two bottles (each) of children’s ibuprofen and Tylenol, lots of soft foods including pudding, cottage cheese, Jell-O, soup, drinks, sherbet, and popsicle making molds.  

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DIY Recovery Foods

Amazon was our best friend in preparing for the surgery! We saved a lot of money by making some of our own surgery recovery foods.

For example, we bought silicon ice pop molds and made “ice pops” out of juice, smoothies, and PediaSure. I had heard from another mom that store-bought popsicles (although convenient) drip a lot, especially with the wandering attention of a toddler! 

These were much better for us all around. In fact, I now give them as gifts to other families who are heading into surgery!

DIY Smoothies

Another way we saved money and prioritized hydration was by making our own kid smoothies. 

We’re no stranger to smoothies in our family. However, what the GROWNUPS drink for smoothies was not going to cut it post-surgery! (We parents love our green smoothies, the greener the better!)

Therefore we invested in this little gem of a book by author Deborah Harroun, called Best 100 Smoothies for Kids. We had to make small adjustments to the recipes (for example, we didn’t use anything that had tiny seeds like raspberries). She also ate them with a spoon or in ice pop form, since straws were strictly forbidden. 

Most Important! If You Read One Thing, Read This 🙂 

Perhaps the best investment we made was two Pure Enrichment MistAire cool-mist humidifiers. We ran the humidifiers in the television room as well as in her bedroom for the duration of her recovery. I don’t know if there’s any medical evidence to support this, but I believe the moisture in the air helped her heal more smoothly. The greatest risk kids face following the surgery is when the scabs fall off; this can cause bleeding. One family friend told me that humidity in the air help to prevent that from happening. Again I’m not a doctor, but we tried it and it worked for us.

The Morning of Surgery – Pre-Game

We arrived at the hospital around 4:30 in the morning. Amazingly, the hospital was ready for us. We brought lots of activities to keep our kids busy and thanks to our reading of books prior to surgery, she wasn’t afraid at all. In fact she seemed quite excited.

Our first stop after paperwork was to the pre-operation area. The more nurses wanted to take her vitals, the more nervous she got. Eventually they gave her a syrupy drink that contains some medicine to make her drowsy. She got goofy and super funny!

Then it hit me – Scared Momma Bear. I was very calm and brave throughout the entire pre-operation experience. However once she started to get drowsy and I knew the time was coming, I had a hard time keeping my composure. You see, our family has an issue with general anesthesia known as malignant hyperthermia.   It’s very rare and her doctors were 110% cognizant of our complication; she was administered anesthesia that doesn’t trigger the reaction. However my fear was big and I had to work hard to be composed for her. 

Fellow moms and dads – I get it!  You’re not alone. It is scary. You will be scared and that’s so normal.  If I can offer any inspiration, that team of nurses and doctors was absolutely amazing. And I live in an average town in an average part of the country. I believe that your kiddo is in great hands and that these teams of doctors and nurses do this all the time. So for what it’s worth, here’s a hug from my little corner of the world, a reassuring smile, and a promise that they will be okay!

During The Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy Surgery

From the minute she was wheeled away by the anesthesiologist to the minute she returned to post-op, it took about an hour and 45 minutes. Because of our anesthesia complication, the medicine they had to use on her took longer than anticipated to kick in.  My understanding is that our procedure took longer than most people’s for this reason.

We waited quietly in a post-op room during surgery. It was very uneventful for us.

Our team of nurses gave us reassuring occasional updates, which we appreciated. I was grateful for their periodic check-ins and the team’s calm confidence. 

Post-Op

Aside from occasional check-ins from our recovery nurses, the first person we saw after surgery was her Ear Nose and Throat surgeon – the original doctor we’ve been working with all along. He came in and informed us that surgery went great and that this was the right surgery for this little girl!

I just remember the sweat on his forehead, his stunned face, and him saying, “She had 100% blockage of her adenoids.”  This made me heartbroken and grateful at the same time. She needed this surgery. And that has proven to be the case in the year since the surgery.

When she returned from surgery, she was fast asleep on the bed. I broke down crying immediately because I was witnessing something I hadn’t seen in years. Her mouth was closed, she was sleeping, and she was breathing silently. You see, for years she snored. This was the first time in years this little girl could breathe through her nose. It was so sad and amazing all at once.

When she woke up she was very uncomfortable. She was in some pain, but more than anything she was confused. Our little lady was groggy from anesthesia and refused any popsicle or drink. She fell back asleep for another hour and when she woke up again she was in a much better mood. 

Within two hours of waking up, we were discharged from the hospital and headed home for a comfortable recovery.

Post-Op Day 1

Once we arrived at home, Day 1 was very calm and quiet. We immediately started her pain/swelling management regime as directed by the surgeon. She still had pain medication in her system so she was very comfortable for the rest of the day. We started a special movie in her makeshift “home base” in the television room. She and Grandma snuggled and napped the afternoon away.

She eventually grew hungry so we started offering her special soft foods. Straws were a big “no no” so we used her new water bottle (bought for the Goodbye Tonsil party). Very little food was consumed this first day; lots of drinks, but she had little interest in food.

I don’t know what I was expecting on Day 1, but it was much calmer than I imagined! The person who had the hardest day was the surgeon – job well done, sir!

Days 2-5

During Days 2-5 we waited for her pain to kick in, for her to get cranky or bored. We tracked her symptoms on this Symptom Tracker. NOPE. These days were much like Day 1. We continued following doctor’s orders with pain medication (staying ahead of the pain, following the schedule). She ate much more on these days and slept a lot. Our family limits screen time but when recovering from the tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, we relaxed on our limits. She enjoyed lots of great movies and rest.

I call Days 2-5 “the honeymoon.” Things were about to get real.

Days 5-10

In stark contrast, days 5-10 were rough. I’ll be more specific: nights 5-10 were rough! Every night during this period she’d wake up screaming and crying uncontrollably. Now she was very uncomfortable. She was insatiably thirsty in the night and was often scared of how thirsty she was. I slept in her room during this period; it helped to get her water fast and calm her before she was very upset.

She also had a low-grade fever during days 6-8; this wasn’t a symptom we were told to anticipate. On the eighth day I called the on-call doctor to inquire; he wasn’t the least bit concerned. We were told to monitor it, and it was gone on day 9.

The days were relatively the same but these night crying sessions – I could tell she was healing. We continued to run our cool-mist humidifier around the clock. She was still receiving pain medication as we stayed ahead of it and followed doctor’s orders. We watched for blood and the “worst case scenario” we’d been about from other parents and the doctor.

Days 11-14

By Day 11 we were only giving pain medication if she showed signs of discomfort. That fever from the prior days was gone, and she continued to enjoy relaxation. By this time she was interested in playing, moving around the house and “business as usual.”

We didn’t offer her any solid foods until day 13, in preparation for her heading back to daycare on Day 14. Her first “solid” meal was super soft pasta noodles with butter – a favorite for her.

One Year Later

We’re quickly approaching one year since our three year old daughter had a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. I’m so grateful we did the procedure! Here are the outcomes we have seen:

  • She hasn’t been on antibiotics once since surgery
  • She gets restful sleep every night; I think that makes her happier and much kinder (we’ve seen a difference)
  • Her vocabulary and communication has exploded
  • All hearing tests have improved markedly since surgery
  • She’s been sick one or two times since surgery (a stomach bug) – with no ear infections
  • She can blow her nose (this was not possible before)
  • There’s an overall change in her personality and mood which we attribute to her ability to get restful sleep (without snoring)

If you’re considering having a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy surgery done for your child, my thoughts go out to you! Ask lots of questions. We know that this surgery is controversial to some – there was a period in our history where kids had them done often. For this family, and this little girl, it’s made a difference beyond what we can measure. I believe she will be smarter, healthier and happier now that she can sleep restfully, not be on antibiotics, and is getting oxygen to her developing brain.

Take care and be sure to leave your story in the Comments below!

Read More About Tonsil and Adenoid Surgeries

15 Comments

  • Bre

    Thank you for this. I am beyond nervous. My 2yr old will be have the survey Tuesday and my anxiety is out the roof. I have one question that wasn’t mentioned. How was brushing her teeth? I just got him to the point where he enjoys it, I am scared of regression.

    • Sassy Bluejay

      I hope your son’s surgery was a success! Teeth brushing wasn’t too bad. To be honest, I wasn’t as much of a stickler about it for the first few days. However, we quickly got back into our normal routines within 2 weeks of surgery. Best of luck!

  • Daria

    Thanks for the info! My daugther is scheduled for a tonsillectomy in a couple weeks. The book is just what I was looking for!

  • Daria

    Thanks for the info! My daughter is scheduled for a tonsillectomy in a couple weeks. The books is exactly what I was hoping to find!

    • Sassy Bluejay

      Hi Daria ~ I’m so hopeful that everything went smoothly for your daughter and that the book was a blessing! If you have a moment ini your busy momma life, feel free to share an update! I’d love to know how surgery went for your daughter.

  • Aimee

    Our daughter is 4 and will be having this surgery in about 3 weeks. I am getting anxious but I’m trying to just keep calm for her. Her procedure will be taking place 5 hours away from home so that is an added stressor but again just trying to manage. We were told that we needed to stay close (in town where she’s having surgery for at least 3-4 days) then we could travel back home. When she woke up did you try and give her any special lovies from home? I’m worried about how she reacts after the surgery.

    • Sassy Bluejay

      Hi Aimee ~ waking up from anesthesia was definitely one of the hardest moments for me (second only to the actual wheeling into the OR and saying goodbye). She was totally out of it, emotional, inconsolable, and groggy. Thankfully a nurse never left our side and kept soothing our daughter (and reassuring me that this was normal!).

      Fortunately that weird stage of “coming to” is short-lived. She fell asleep and was her normal self after a brief nap.

      Feel free to share an update for the other parents who are getting ready for surgery! I know they all appreciate it 🙂 Take care!

  • kimbe

    Thank you for sharing …my daughter who is 6 will be going in tomorrow. ai didn’t know what exactly to be feeling…after reading this…assured is what i feel. Let me get started on a goodbye tonsils party plan. Bless you for sharing

    • Sassy Bluejay

      I hope that a “Goodbye Tonsils Party” was time well spent. It definitely helped us all put on a brave face before the big day! Now that surgery is in the past, feel free to share an update on your experience! I know other parents will appreciate it. 🙂

  • Roc Chick

    Hi,
    Our 3 year old just had her surgery yesterday. She didn’t come out of anesthesia too great and we were admitted to the hospital for observation. Day 1 – she takes meds just fine. She ate a popsicle, ice cream, and pudding.
    Day 2 – took meds all day fine, ate a little. Now she just woke up screaming at the same time she is due for her 11pm med dosage. I feel terrible that she feels this way and I just put a humidifier in my room for us. She is a triplet, so I’m having her sleep in our room for the first few nights so that the others aren’t disturbed. I don’t think I can handle 3 screaming toddlers every 3 hrs! 🙂
    Hoping Day 3 goes smoother – but I hear 4-6 is likely when “scabbing” begins to fall off. Praying it’s not too bad!

    • Sassy Bluejay

      Hi! Your experience sounds a lot like ours. Everything starts off calmly, and then the healing begins. I’d love to hear an update now that surgery is in the rearview mirror! 🙂

  • Carly

    Thank you for this. My 4 year old is having his tonsils and adnoids removed on Monday. I also have a one month old so this was nice to read to get a sense of what the next days/weeks will be like with my sons recovery. I already do not sleep much so I have been very nervous about how we will navigate this.

    • Sassy Bluejay

      Hi Carly ~ I hope everything went smoothly for your son and your family! Please share an update if you have a moment; I know life is busy with kids! 🙂

    • Sassy Bluejay

      Hi Aubrey, we didn’t use anything special. Just a plastic cup like usual. Whatever was exciting to her to keep her drinking! 🙂

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