Post-Surgery Report {Peter's Sleep Apnea Treatment Phase 1}

Peter's pre-surgical stats are taken by the nurse.

Peter with his surgeon, all dressed up for the operating room.

As the first order of treatment for juvenile sleep apnea, Peter's tonsils and adenoids were surgically removed yesterday.  From the time we checked in to the time we drove off, was about 3 hours.  Peter handled the anesthesia well, and after a brief rest in recovery (a room as cold as an ice box) he was up and ready to head home.  Upon arriving home, he settled onto our bed with the remote in one hand and a Popsicle in the other.  We had a selection of favorite EWTN recordings on our DVR to keep him occupied in the sitting still position. 

Come day 2, Joseph's suggestion to bring the Wii upstairs for an alternative entertainment source was met with full agreement.  I won't even admit to how many hours were spent on that mind-numbing machine today.  Suffice to say it was probably played more today than it's been played total in its short history living at our house (often forgotten for months at a time).  Oh well, this too shall pass!

Not really healing and not feeling well, Luke and Leia needed another visit to their doctor today.  Turns out after a full week on amoxicillan, all 4 ears are still infected.  Add to that 2 cases of pneumonia, and you're starting to sense the health battles these two are facing.  A new more powerful antibiotic has been prescribed, and the road to wellness begins again...

Prognosis {Juvenile Sleep Study}

Peter (11) well connected for his sleep study at Providence Hospital, Everett, WA

The results are in: Peter has sleep apnea like his Grandpa Pete and his Uncle Pete and his Uncle Clark.

We learned that at one point during his sleep study Peter stopped breathing for 42 seconds, which is nothing compared to his grandpa who stopped breathing for over a minute and whose heart actually stopped beating during his sleep study.  Peter's average breathing stoppage was 4 per hour, with 18 per hour during REM sleep.  

Treatment phase 1 involves having his tonsils and adenoids removed.  Peter is not very happy about having surgery, even with the promise of ice cream and Popsicles.  The hope of helping him get better quality sleep and improve his overall health make the set-back of surgery seem worthwhile.