It’s time to have the tube talk

Well, I gave it the ole’ college try, but it’s time to bite the bullet. It’s time to have the “tube talk” with the pediatrician.

After nearly 10 infections this cold and flu season, my 15-month-old’s tiny ear canals clearly need medical intervention. The tug-of-war I’ve been engaged with the bacteria that plagues his head was elevated to a whole new level recently when my tot had to get a series of daily antibiotic injections — which, I’m told, is the strongest dose he can receive.

This was supposed to be the pediatrician’s last stand before referring us to an ear, nose and throat specialist. It also was supposed to buy me some peace of mind at least for a couple of weeks.

Boy, was I wrong.

The morning he was to receive his last of three injections, he woke up terribly sick — norovirus had struck again. The fever, the vomiting, the irritability were piled on top of recovering from clogged ear canals. I held my breath through the subsequent weekend, but more illness followed the next week.

After another last-minute pediatric appointment, another series of three daily injections was scheduled and we had our ENT referral.

I suppose I shouldn’t be too terribly worried. After all, thousands of children every year undergo this routine procedure, but I can’t help but dread it. Not knowing what is going to happen next is nerve-wracking.

Will they remove his tonsils? What about the adenoids? Will the procedure be successful? What if his hearing is damaged? Will he be in pain?

Not knowing these answers makes me want to lock him in the house and never let him out. If he didn’t go to daycare, maybe he wouldn’t be sick all the time. And if he weren’t sick all the time, he wouldn’t have to go to the doctor all the time, let alone have to have surgery.

Better yet, maybe I should put him in a plastic bubble, like they make for gerbils. Then I would need to stay home in order to make sure he doesn’t knock over any lamps or run over a cat. That would mean I would have to stay home all the time, because, what kind of mother would I be if I didn’t stay home with my bubble-wrapped son?

*Sigh*

A girl can dream, can’t she?

— Sarah Leach is content editor at The Holland Sentinel. Contact her at (616) 546-4278 or sarah.leach@hollandsentinel.com.