Our little guy, Charlie, was the perfect candidate for "tubes" surgery. Just within a 9 month time frame he had had 6 ear infections, some being double ear infections and some just in one ear. Either way, it was hard on him (and ultimately on us)! No one wants to see their baby suffer. Every time Charlie got an ear infection, he would stop sleeping through the night, eating his normal diet, and wanting to play. 

When we moved from Mississippi to Colorado, we honestly thought the change in climate would help. Unfortunately that was not the case! We finally consulted an Ear, Nose, & Throat doctor who told us Charlie could really benefit from ear tubes. He explained that these little tubes would be inserted in his ear canals to help his ears drain better. The whole surgery would take about 10 minutes or so. Seems easy enough? But we were still nervous about putting our baby under anesthesia. 

After much praying and consideration we decided to go ahead with the surgery in July. The day of the surgery we loaded up and made the drive to the hospital. Once we got there, Charlie was so silly and flirting with the nurses. I hated seeing him go down the hallway without us. But after only a few tears from mama, we got settled in the waiting room for all of maybe 8 minutes. I was honestly shocked it was so quick!

We hustled down the hallway to go see our little man wake up from the anesthesia. He was definitely a little out of it, but we brought along a few of his favorite comfort items from home. He was even allowed to keep his ducky and his blanket all the way through the surgery. I think this definitely helped ease the confusion when he woke up. Recovery was quick and he was back home and playing in the backyard an hour later. 

It has now been a little over a month since Charlie's surgery and what a tremendous difference it has made! The surgery honestly did not slow him down at all. Not only has his speech and language improved, but his overall demeanor has become way more pleasant. Not that Charlie was ever a crabby kid but he honestly just seems so much happier! The best part about this whole experience is that his sleep has improved. What a game changer for us all! But really the best part about Charlie having this surgery is that he is just doing so much better and we can see our little guy really shine. 

Because he had ear surgery in the middle of summer, swimming is a little bit trickier. He can splash and get water dumped on his head during bath time but his ears cannot be submerged without the help of ear plugs. We decided to get custom ear plugs because we knew we would be taking a big trip to Table Rock lake in southern Missouri where he would be swimming with his cousins.

The process was very simple! We just headed to an ear clinic recommended by our doctor, got molds made for his ears, and his custom ear plugs were ready in a week. They are a bright blue so we (hopefully) won't lose them and they float! The ear plugs are a total game changer so Charlie can enjoy swimming without worrying about getting water stuck in his ears. 

Overall, we are so grateful to our doctor for encouraging us to get tube surgery for Charlie. We love seeing him happier and healthier (and we all love sleeping better). Surgery is never an easy choice to make but I definitely recommend prayerfully considering your options and finding a doctor you can trust! Now we are off to enjoy the splash park and soak up these last few hot weeks. 

Stay cool! 

Emma