On February 16th Evan had dental work done under general anesthesia. Because of a bad fall last year on the
steps of the Tucson Children's Museum where fell on his mouth, he had an infection/abscess above his top middle teeth.
The plan was to take out the top two teeth affected by the abscess and take care of any cavities in his molars.
The dentist is a special needs dentist and I realize now that he doesn't mess around! You'll see below.
Now there is no chance Evan will have problems with his teeth in the future!
steps of the Tucson Children's Museum where fell on his mouth, he had an infection/abscess above his top middle teeth.
The plan was to take out the top two teeth affected by the abscess and take care of any cavities in his molars.
The dentist is a special needs dentist and I realize now that he doesn't mess around! You'll see below.
Now there is no chance Evan will have problems with his teeth in the future!
His surgery was done at UMC. It was scheduled for 2pm, so he couldn't eat anything that day except clear liquids until
11am and nothing after that. He did much better than I expected without food. He had 3 popsicles and grape juice which
was allowed. Then I didn't give him anything after 11:15am.
11am and nothing after that. He did much better than I expected without food. He had 3 popsicles and grape juice which
was allowed. Then I didn't give him anything after 11:15am.
Evan is super friendly!!
We arrived a little before 12:30 to do paperwork and sign in. Evan and I walked around for a while. He was pretty tired
and hungry but still loved to walk up to perfect strangers, usually nice looking ladies over 40 or 50. He would just walk
right up to them and try to crawl into their lap. We talked to a large family who was waiting for their relative. They were
loud, boisterous and very friendly. Evan kept going up to one lady in their group. They asked me a little about Evan and
later while Evan was back in surgery, two of them, separately, went out of their way to say goodbye to me and wish me
luck with Evan. I was struck by their thoughtfulness!
and hungry but still loved to walk up to perfect strangers, usually nice looking ladies over 40 or 50. He would just walk
right up to them and try to crawl into their lap. We talked to a large family who was waiting for their relative. They were
loud, boisterous and very friendly. Evan kept going up to one lady in their group. They asked me a little about Evan and
later while Evan was back in surgery, two of them, separately, went out of their way to say goodbye to me and wish me
luck with Evan. I was struck by their thoughtfulness!
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Music Time
We then went out to the diamond children's lobby to wait and met a man with his guitar who was about to go around
the rooms singing to the kids. He played and sang a "made up song" about Evan. Evan clapped approvingly. It was nice
of him to stop and sing to Evan when I know he was on his way out.
the rooms singing to the kids. He played and sang a "made up song" about Evan. Evan clapped approvingly. It was nice
of him to stop and sing to Evan when I know he was on his way out.
Getting Fussy
Evan then attempted to run (or quickly walk) out the sliding doors and into the street multiple times, so I put him in his
stroller and pushed him around. At this point he was getting pretty cranky and kept saying”ka ka” for cracker/food, but
all things considered was being SO patient. There were enough people to watch that it was distracting him. Finally
around 1:45 we were called back.
stroller and pushed him around. At this point he was getting pretty cranky and kept saying”ka ka” for cracker/food, but
all things considered was being SO patient. There were enough people to watch that it was distracting him. Finally
around 1:45 we were called back.
In the PreOp Area
Even was bouncing on the hospital bed while I was holding him and all the nurses thought he was a wild monkey.
He was very restless and tired and hungry so I just kept doing what I could to keep him happy in the pre-op area.
We walked up and down the hallway, I pushed him in the chair, he bounced in my arms and I held him. And then finally
the doctor came back to prep us. They were going to wheel him in the bed by himself, but I told them that wouldn't
work and he'd end up over the side and on the ground. So the nurse got in the bed with him to hold him and he was
super happy as they wheeled him back.
He was very restless and tired and hungry so I just kept doing what I could to keep him happy in the pre-op area.
We walked up and down the hallway, I pushed him in the chair, he bounced in my arms and I held him. And then finally
the doctor came back to prep us. They were going to wheel him in the bed by himself, but I told them that wouldn't
work and he'd end up over the side and on the ground. So the nurse got in the bed with him to hold him and he was
super happy as they wheeled him back.
Post Op
While I was waiting in the surgery waiting room, an op nurse called me (shortly after they started) to tell me that they
were going to have to take all four of his top feet teeth rather than just the two because they were all infected by the
abscess. The dental work lasted less than an hour, surprising since he did so much to his teeth! After the surgery they
called me back. As I walked in, I saw him laying there with the oxygen mask on his face. As a mother, it's always hard to
see your child in that sort of state. Eli has gone under general anesthesia probably four times and Evan has three times.
So even though I've seen this before, multiple times, it's always still a shock when you come around the corner and see
him passed out that way. He was pretty out of it when I got there and continued to sleep for a little while. It was a shock
to see his gums since all four of his front top teeth were gone and then all 8 of his molars were completely encased in
silver crowns. He looked so different and crazy. Hopefully his gums will heal and even out over time and it won't be so
scary looking. His best feature, his smile, is ruined! :)
were going to have to take all four of his top feet teeth rather than just the two because they were all infected by the
abscess. The dental work lasted less than an hour, surprising since he did so much to his teeth! After the surgery they
called me back. As I walked in, I saw him laying there with the oxygen mask on his face. As a mother, it's always hard to
see your child in that sort of state. Eli has gone under general anesthesia probably four times and Evan has three times.
So even though I've seen this before, multiple times, it's always still a shock when you come around the corner and see
him passed out that way. He was pretty out of it when I got there and continued to sleep for a little while. It was a shock
to see his gums since all four of his front top teeth were gone and then all 8 of his molars were completely encased in
silver crowns. He looked so different and crazy. Hopefully his gums will heal and even out over time and it won't be so
scary looking. His best feature, his smile, is ruined! :)
Waking up
As he woke up, he cried, a really sad :-( cry. He was pretty miserable so the nurses gave him some pain medication,
but I kind of wish they hadn't, it was heavy stuff and he didn't react well to it. He fell right back to sleep and was
basically out of it the entire rest of the day. He never ate, drank or looked me in the eyes for the rest of the day and
slept a lot. Going under anesthesia just really seems to affect the boys even more than some of the other kids I see
in post op. I just think they neurologically can't handle it well. Since he had dental work, there was a lot of gunk in
his throat and he was coughing up blood and having a really hard time....crying and whining every time he was awake.
They wanted to keep him there until he was awake and drinking, so we probably stayed for another hour because he
was not drinking or responding to anything. But since I told them that the boys have never cooperated or felt good until
they got home and his breathing was becoming more regular, they allowed us to go home.
but I kind of wish they hadn't, it was heavy stuff and he didn't react well to it. He fell right back to sleep and was
basically out of it the entire rest of the day. He never ate, drank or looked me in the eyes for the rest of the day and
slept a lot. Going under anesthesia just really seems to affect the boys even more than some of the other kids I see
in post op. I just think they neurologically can't handle it well. Since he had dental work, there was a lot of gunk in
his throat and he was coughing up blood and having a really hard time....crying and whining every time he was awake.
They wanted to keep him there until he was awake and drinking, so we probably stayed for another hour because he
was not drinking or responding to anything. But since I told them that the boys have never cooperated or felt good until
they got home and his breathing was becoming more regular, they allowed us to go home.
At Home
He basically slept on my chest the entire rest of the day. He would wake up from time to time and start coughing up
blood, mildly choking, and then he would fall back to sleep. I held him for a long time until I was too tired to hold him
anymore and decided that he was healthy enough to lay in his bed. There was more than one moment during the
evening when Eli and Evan were both choking at the same time, that was difficult. It's hard enough to have one child
who is struggling but we couldn't handle two struggling at the same time! It's just too much. We were all tired as we
fell asleep that night. Evan never would eat or drank anything that day.
blood, mildly choking, and then he would fall back to sleep. I held him for a long time until I was too tired to hold him
anymore and decided that he was healthy enough to lay in his bed. There was more than one moment during the
evening when Eli and Evan were both choking at the same time, that was difficult. It's hard enough to have one child
who is struggling but we couldn't handle two struggling at the same time! It's just too much. We were all tired as we
fell asleep that night. Evan never would eat or drank anything that day.
The Next Morning
The next morning he got up at his usual time, didn't even really sleep in that long, and was extremely hungry and
thirsty. He was acting normal, which made me really happy. I was so happy to see him looking me in the eyes again,
eating food and and wanting more and more. He hasn't seemed to notice that his teeth are gone, but there is a lot
more room for his pacifier! :)
thirsty. He was acting normal, which made me really happy. I was so happy to see him looking me in the eyes again,
eating food and and wanting more and more. He hasn't seemed to notice that his teeth are gone, but there is a lot
more room for his pacifier! :)
