Brees' Turn

We've had so much going on this past week that I have barely had a moment to stop 
and reflect.  The wheels have been turning and I feel like I just need a minute to sit down 
and write it all down, to remember these days before they run away from me.  Brees had a 
very minor surgery done on Friday.  She has had back to back ear infections for the last 
3 months that, no matter what we do, just won't clear up.  We went to see our pediatric 
ENT for a full exam and, after reviewing the fact that she has had 6 ear infections this 
year alone, we scheduled surgery to put tubes in her ears.  We felt really confident about 
this decision as we have been through the same experience with Isabelle.  Our little ladies 
were both born with malfunctioning Eustachian tubes, what can I say?  And so Shawn and 
I wrapped our baby Brees up and headed to the outpatient surgery center bright and 
early Friday morning.  Our family has seriously spent WAY too much time in hospital 
settings this year...We arrived at 6 am and were taken straight back to admitting.  The 
nurses were all so good to us and treated Brees with so much love. We watched "Yo 
Gabba Gabba" on the Ipad while we waited and she snuggled up close in her fancy little 
hospital gown.  The doctor came in and reassured us that the surgery would last no longer 
than 15 minutes.  Brees was given a light sedative to relax her and didn't require an IV or 
any other invasive interventions.  I was so relieved when one of my former college 
classmates came in and told us that he would be the nurse in the surgery room with Brees.  
He took her gently from my arms as Shawn and I both kissed her a hundred times.  
She whimpered just a little as he carried her away, breaking my heart in the process.  
Even though I'm a nurse, even though I've been through this and much worse, letting my 
angel baby go into surgery was very, very hard.  I didn't have too much time to dwell on 
that, though, as we were only apart for a short while.  Shawn and I waited patiently in 
the waiting room, texting friends and family, praying for Brees and her safety.  Soon, we 
were being ushered into the recovery room and the nurses were placing her into my arms. 
I rocked her and held her close as she woke up from the anesthesia, Shawn finishing up 
the paperwork and getting things packed up.  After 30 minutes and a full cup of juice, we 
were allowed to go home.  The entire process took under 2 hours from start to finish: what 
a relief!  We drove our sleepy baby home, gave her some toast and a dose of morning 
cartoons, and then all climbed into bed for a good nap.  I was so thankful that everything 
went so smooth and that I was able to have the day off from work to just be a mama to 
my baby.  I don't think I put her down at all that day, we just stayed close and did a whole 
lotta lovin. By Saturday morning, Brees was back to her 75 miles per hour self, jumping 
and singing and playing full force.  Hopefully, these tubes will give Brees the relief she needs 
to drain her ears and start feeling better soon.  She's a tough cookie, that little angel...