Monday, May 24, 2010

ENT Visit and Noise Overload

Nolan's tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy/PE tubes post-op appointment was today. These trips to Buffalo are quite wearing, with four hours in the car (round-trip). The ENT is Nolan's least favorite doctor (apart from the urologist, though we rarely see him anymore). I promised him a treat after the appointment, since he was quite upset about seeing the ear doctor.

The post-op appointment went well. We saw the nurse practitioner and she noted Nolan's runny nose (he nearly always has a cold) and checked on his tubes. They're in and functioning, which is no big surprise since our audiologist checked them on Thursday. We also discussed his post-operative state, which is generally good. He still does not sleep through the night most nights, but this could be due to his reflux and not necessarily due to apneas (central or obstructive). The sleep study in August will tell us if the obstructive apnea has been eliminated, and hopefully the central apnea will be greatly reduced, as well.

She was concerned about having to increase the volume on his hearing aids, but they don't have his hearing test report yet. I told her that his hearing levels aren't drastically different, but his aids had been set to levels recorded a year ago. There has definitely been change in a year, so he needed to be reprogrammed. She was concerned about the progression, though we're not sure if it is a permanent conductive or permanent sensorineural change (we didn't run bone conduction). John Tracy will run testing in July, so I'm not worried about it. Either way, it is a permanent change, so the increase in amplification is only a good thing.

We left the ENT's office in Depew, and I thought about heading to East Aurora to the Explore and More Children's Museum. Unfortunately, they're closed on Monday. Not knowing what to do, I headed toward Orchard Park and took them to Chuck E. Cheese.

Chuck E. Cheese must be the worst place on the planet for a deaf or hard-of-hearing child. The "background noise" must have been at 90dB! Still, Nolan was literally dancing for joy, and we were the only people in the place. The employees had just run the tickets through the machines, so they told the kids that they could grab all of the left-over tickets. Matt and Nolan ran around the arcade in a giddy, hyperactive state, clutching tickets and thrusting tokens into games and rides.


This ride had its own camera.

I did use sign language at Chuck E. Cheese, because Nolan couldn't hear anything in the place. I was concerned about losing him in the arcade, but I only handed him one token at a time. Within a few seconds, he would reappear, calling out, "Money! I need more money!"

Pizza, juice, and several cheap plastic "reward" toys later, we headed home. We don't have to see the ENT again until October, which is a great relief! We are now "doctor free" until late June (kidney ultrasound- routine monitoring because of his posterior urethral valves)!

7 comments:

Lisa said...

Absolute worst place for HoH child: ride lines at Disney World. Information overload. My daughter lasted 2 days (into a 6 day trip) before we pulled her aid out (severe unilateral loss).

Good to hear he is doing well (ENT visits suck).

Herding Grasshoppers said...

Oh you are BRAVE! Chuck E Cheese is one of my worst nightmares! (Our kids have been ONCE.)

Hurray for a doctor-free month!

Julie

The Wednesday Poet said...

There is this great line from Woody Allen's Hannah and Her Sisters, where he is discussing Nietzche's theory of Eternal Return and he says, "Great, then I'd have to sit through the Ice again." I feel that way about Chuck E Cheese--having tolerated with my two teens a few times and hating it. Everytime I'd drive past it before having Josh, I'd snicker to myself--glad that I was through with that place. "Great, now I have to go to Chuck E Cheese again." (maybe).

Happy Doctor free time zone.

Heidi

Joey Lynn Resciniti said...

That's rough that you have to make that drive! My one child drives me nuts in the car!

Chuck E Cheese is a great kid reward if the parents can keep from losing their mind in the process!

Thanks for your supportive comment today - I'm all for re-entering the workforce at some point. I'd just love to still have summers off!

Apraxia Mom said...

You are really racking up the miles on that car, aren't you?

Never been to Chuck E Cheese. After reading this, I am not sure that I want to go.

((HUGS)) to Nolan!

rouchi6 said...

i know how bugging it can be in a noisy place. but i noticed that the kids are more comfortable and they adapt to it. prisha loves going to places with loud music with me worrying all the time. well that is life.Take care.

leah said...

Chuck E Rat is not my favorite place in the world, but the kids sure love it! We were lucky because NO ONE else was there- if you are brave enough, 10:30am is a great time to go.

I was hoping it would wear them out so they would both nap on the drive home, but no such luck!

Lisa- we're going to Disneyland in July, so it will be interesting to see how Nolan does this time around. Last time, he cried and ripped his aids out. Sigh...