Two Weeks Until Surgery...Or Not

To say that the weeks leading up to Zane’s surgery are challenging would be an understatement. I am definitely feeling the stress of it all. And I have promised myself that when the surgery is over and Zane is on the road to recovery, I am going to start running. I need a healthy way to cope with everything. I even downloaded a running app to my phone in preparation for it all.

As of this morning, we still do not have approval for the MAGEC rods. This is a problem. If the rods are denied, we have to embark on the journey of appeals, which will most definitely delay surgery. This, in turn, affects not only Zane and his well-being, but my job. The school I work for is in the process of finding a substitute to cover me during my requested leave time. So I kind of need to know now whether the rods are approved or denied. The surgery scheduler is looking into it.

Over the past couple of weeks, I have contacted nursing agencies in order to find post-op help with Zane. After researching and finding the ones with the best reviews, I contacted three different agencies. Not a single one has gotten back to me regarding my request. So it looks like I’ll be taking care of Zane on my own during the day, which is a little nerve-wracking. Bathing him and transitioning him without help will be interesting, to say the least.

Then—as if all that’s not enough—over the last couple of weeks, Zane has been removing his right hearing aid and poking at his ear. I took him to Urgent Care where they told me that it’s likely allergy-related. I increased his allergy meds. But the poking hasn’t gone away. So last week, Jeff took him to the pediatrician. Apparently, Zane has a retracted ear drum (which can happen with allergies). But if it doesn’t clear up in the next week or so, then Zane has to see an ENT for possible ETD (Eustachian Tube Disorder).  My thought is that it has to be related to allergies since he’s never had ear problems before. I left a message for Zane’s allergist this morning to find out if we’re overlooking something or if we need to change Zane’s meds. (Zane’s allergist is awesome, by the way). Unfortunately at the pediatric appointment, Zane was also tested for a UTI. The initial test was suspicious, so he is now being treated with antibiotics.

So that’s where we are right now: dwelling in the Realm of Uncertainty. If anyone tries to sell you a time share to this place, opt for the beach vacation instead J