Timmy Tidbits: Visit to the ENT with Landon

It's been a busy week, to say the least.  Today was finally our visit with Dr. Parry.  I had been feeling like Timmy has been doing better and wasn't sure I should keep the appointment, lest Dr. Parry just tell me he's fine and we waste both our time.

I had also scheduled to have him look at Landon's tonsils but Landon hasn't been snoring for the past week or so like he had before.  Seriously, the poor kid sounded like a banshee!  I would be out here blogging in the living room wondering what on earth that sound was and it was him!  But, since I haven't heard him snoring for a while, I wondered if the swelling had gone down and if Landon's tonsils would look normal.

We kept the appointment.  And boy am I glad we did!

Dr. Parry did a quick assessment of Timmy first - basically just asking me what's going on.  He also had the note from Dr. Brown.  I told him I sort of felt like it was a reaction to the dryness of the weather.  Many people have suggested allergies, as theirs have flared up big time lately, but neither James nor I suffer from severe allergies so I was inclined to think this wasn't the case.  Turns out we were all wrong.

While Dr. Parry's assistant was getting things together for him to perform a scope on Timmy's trach, he asked Landon if he could take a peek inside.  Of course not.  I doubt too many kids open right up.  He asked if Landon had allowed James to take a look inside and I assured him that he had and both James and his sister, who used to work as a nurse, had said his tonsils were huge.  James would know.  But then Landon opened up and Dr. Parry caught a glimpse.  There was no doubt about it, "Those things need to come out."  He explained to me that it's not just swelling.  His tonsils are just so big that if Landon lays a certain way, he won't snore.  Any other position and the things will restrict his airway.  So we're looking at our first (and hopefully only) tonsillectomy in the next couple of weeks.  He said it's a quick 15-minute procedure.  The week after will be rough, but Landon will be a whole new man.  And able to get a better night's sleep.  (Hoping this means Mom will too!)

The nurse brought in the scope.  Dr. Parry first sent it down through the trach.  Trachea looks great!  No granulation tissue whatsoever.  Wide open.  Then he did a quick scope through the stoma with the trach out and determined that Timmy's airway is infected with pseudomonas, which is causing all the excess secretions, which are causing the stoma to become raw and rather smelly.  So back to the grocery store for more antibiotics.

He did also say, and I wish I could hold him to this, but I'm sure it will still depend on more growth, that we should take the trach out next spring.  Hooray!