Ellie's mouth surgery

Ellie had her first dentist appointment a few months ago.

It was "BAD NEWS BEARS" to say the least.

Let me back up a bit......

This past year, Ellie kept complaining about her mouth. She would wake up crying in the middle of the night & keep crying for a couple hours. OR in the day she would start crying about it, holding her mouth, etc. When we would tell other parents about this happening, all these people would tell us that she was probably getting her toddler/back molars. So, of course since she is our first (and only) child, we believed it. We bought Motrin, baby oregel, and teething medicine. STILL it was so sad. It was very obvious that Ellie really was in so much pain. After we got this insurance, I finally took her to one of the "Tooth Doctor For Kids".

At the appointment, I couldn't go back in the room with her, which made me a bit nervous. When they brought Ellie back to me, she was happy & laughing. The lady that came with her QUICKLY told me that I needed to make an appointment & that she had to have --- done, & --- done. I honestly didn't even understand what was going to be done. I know she said the word CAVITY & ROOT CANAL, but that is all I heard. Once I looked way back in her mouth, I saw 2 UH-OH'S!!! Both her back teeth were so nasty, AND SAD! One side looked like it had a whole in the middle of the tooth, & the other tooth was started to disappear on the side. I don't do well with blood, or gross things like this. (I will say she eats lots of junk-- blame Lance-- but she brushes almost every morning & night. My mother in-law always tells us that "soft teeth" run in the family.)

SO, after having an appointment & then having to reschedule, the day was finally here to get rid of all that PAIN!!

{which brings us to this past Tuesday Night}

All bathed, ready to start her fast, and ready to get her Father's Blessing.

Ellie wasn't sure if she wanted to get a father's blessing. She thought it would be scary or something. BUT, after Lance gave the blessing, she was glad he gave it to her. (and I felt so much better)

BeAd HeaD aNyOnE???

(The person that called me the day before, told me to just bring her in either her jammies or comfy clothes.)

We had to be there at 8 am. About 40 minutes later they had Ellie drink a cup of ?juice? (for .... uhh, I don't really know)

This was the part that made me so scared.

The thought of Ellie being put out...AHHHH!!!

Any parent can understand what I mean.

Before I left the room, I kept telling her over & over that I loved her & that I would be right outside waiting for her. She started to just look at me and smile, with kind of a blank stare. The assistant assured me that she was starting to go to sleep.

While I was waiting, they called me back to talk to me a few times. They told me:

"Ellie has 6 Cavities.

Here is what we are going to do, if we have enough time:

2 FILLINGS,

2 ROOT CANALS,

COMPLETELY REMOVE 2 TEETH,

AND PUT 2 SPACERS IN."

(They ended up having time for all of it that day.)

When all of the other kids came back from their rooms, they were fine. Some kids might have been holding gauze on a tooth or something, but they weren't crying or anything. They had a new sticker & a "goodie" bag from the dentist... you get it. NO TEARS.

After an hour or so, I heard a really sad cry, & the doors opened. I knew it was Ellie before I saw her. She had tears running down her cheeks & a mouth full of bloody gauze.

The smell , the blood, her crying.. I started to get a little light headed, & nauseous. The assistant kept saying stuff for me to do & not to do. I kept telling her that I felt sick, I needed to get some fresh air. She wasn't thinking I was serious, so finally I asked her to write down whatever she just told me.

As soon as we walked out of that dentist office, I started crying with Ellie. I told her , or she had to stop crying, or else I wouldn't be able to. I asked her what was making her cry. I asked "Does it hurt, were you scared when you woke up, or do you not want all that gauze in your mouth?".

She shook her head yes to everything. I told her I would take her to the store right then to get some medicine to help her feel better. I let her know I would be with her all day, & lay down and cuddle with her.. whatever she wanted.

Once she spit out the nasty gauze, she calmed down.

When we got buckled in the car, Ellie asked me

"Mom, can we play 2 of my songs? "A Girl Can't Help It" {"Clumsy"} & "Big Girl's Don't Cry"???"!!!!!

(I am pretty sure she wanted to play "Big Girls Don't Cry" for her wimpy mama) Since my I-POD is broken, I couldn't play that, but Syd made me a c.d. with Clumsy. So THANK-YOU FERGIE (and Syd) for saving the day!!!

Lance brought her a new PINK baby & Ellie was such a good mommy for her. She even fed her a bottle while she watched a movie.

(She hated leaving the gauze in her mouth, so she kept having a little crusty blood around her mouth.)

AND fell asleep while feeding her baby, too. (I couldn't resist.)

She was so peaceful & I didn't want to move her. I looked at her when she was starting to wake up & realized her mouth had started to really bleed. It was all down her chin & a puddle on her sleeve. (I didn't even think about not having her lay on the side. --WoRsT Mom EVER award--)

After a long rest, Ellie seemed fine.

Since my dad was out of town, & Auburn had a really early doctors appt., Roxy got to spend the night with my mom & ELLIE. (Roxy always make Ellie happy)

The room was PITCH BLACK when I took these. I couldn't even see if the girls were in the picture for sure. Ellie asked me "Mom, can we make silly faces?" So I told her she could. (Don't look back in her mouth, you might gag like me!)
Then, Ellie said "ONE MORE for silly faces!!"

FINE!

I was dying when I reviewed the picture!!!

The next day, we watched Noah. Ellie acted like nothing ever happened. She was even in the mood to go to DANCE & GYMNASTICS! (Never mind she had crusty blood around her mouth every once in a while.)

Side note: After gymnastics on Thursday night, we met my family at

MATTA'S on MAIN!

(tear, tear) We had just eaten it the night before, but then heard it would be closing for good that coming Saturday. (more tears) We got there at 7:30 & there was a 2 HOUR wait! We were so hungry, so we headed to El Charro. Ellie fell of her booster or something & the nice girl behind her wanted to make sure she was o.k.! (which she was) Ellie asked her if she wanted to see her mouth. As soon as I heard her, I was dying & saying "NO, ELLIE!!".... Too late. She opened her mouth... SICK.

{Sorry in advance if she tries to show anyone else!}

I don't too well with that kind of stuff.... OBVIOUSLY!!

This was such a minor surgery, compared to what so many people are going through. It was scary for me to have her put out for such a small amount of time.

My heart goes out to all those who have kids, friends, parents, spouses, siblings, or whoever else that is going through pain.

I am so glad that this surgery is over.... AND I'm especially glad that her pain is gone now.