Tillman's Tubes

Tillman got ear tubes the day before Thanksgiving.  He had just finished antibiotics over the weekend, and by Tuesday he was running a fever.  We did our best to avoid getting tubes and tried every herbal remedy we knew, but it just wasn't in the cards.  He woke on Tuesday, and Nick said "I think we're going to have to schedule the tubes."  I got to work and emailed Dr. White, and he had an opening the next day, so we took it.  It worked out great since we were off the rest of the week, and Tillman had 5 day at home. 

 The procedure was super fast (15 minutes tops).  In fact, Dr. White came out to the waiting area to get me, and said "I would have been done sooner, but all the nurses had to hold Tillman."  That made me feel good and hearing that, I knew that Tillman was well taken care of the short time we were a part.

Waking from the anesthesia was a little rough for him.  They said to expect crankiness since he would be disoriented.  He was pretty cranky for 10 minutes, but once he got his bottle, he fell back to sleep.  We were able to leave shorty after, and were on the road back home at 7:30AM (yes, we had to be there at 4:45AM.) 

If I was a smart momma, I should have gone to the grocery store to get what we needed for Thanksgiving since he was fast a sleep until noon, but we just went home and snuggled. 

I'm bias as I work at MUSC Children's Hospital, but I know that Dr. White is the BEST for pediatric ENT.  He is specifically trained in peds ENT.  Also, Dr. Wallace, our anesthesiologist, is specifically trained in peds anesthesia.  The combo of those two as well as pediatric specific staff made MUSC Children's Hospital the only choice for Tillman's tubes.  Sure, there are ADULT ENTs in the community that will place ear tubes in kids, but their training is for adults.  Wouldn't you rather have a specifically trained ENT and more importantly and anesthesiologist that is specifically trained for your child's care? We are so lucky in the lowcountry to have a children's hospital, that I just can't image having my child treated anywhere but there.  Plus, do you think they blow bubbles, have fun toys, and let your child drive a power wheels to the OR (to make it less scary for the child) anywhere else in Charleston....but they do at MUSC Children's Hospital! (Why settle for second when first/best is available?...stepping down off the soap box...)

*My soap box comes from comments I've received about taking my child to MUSC. When I mention that Tillman goes to MUSC Children's Hospital, I get comments like "OH....well, that make sense for you to take him there since you work there, but you know I've always heard Dr. X is the best."  Dr. X is an adult doc who does tubes at an ADULT hospital. I'm sure he does great work, but he is trained for ADULT care, and more over, did you get the qualification on the anesthesiologist that will put your child under?  It's frustrating to me because I know that MUSC Children's Hospital is the BEST for all children, but other have an opinion that I only take my child here because I work here....when they don't realize it is the BEST!  (this is just an explanation of one comment, but we get many others)