Fourth Time's A Charm?

We are really hoping it is. Last Tuesday Isaac had his 4th surgery for ear tubes put in. By this time he could remember the hospital from the previous surgery and was not excited about it. He just kept saying he wanted to go home. But, he didn't kick or scream, he just held the nurse's hand and followed her down the hall to the O.R. We promised him ice cream if he was good and that seemed to be an effective bribe. When they wheeled him back in on the bed he lifted his head up and said "Mommy, I want ice cream." He didn't thrash around when he was coming out of the anesthetic like he has in the past. He just kept asking for ice cream. Jeff finally carried him down the hall (the nurses were not too happy about that. I guess he wasn't supposed to leave the room.) to the snack shop and got him a vanilla ice cream cone. He was as happy as can be!
The doctor had to remove the old tubes and because there were huge holes where they used to be, she had to patch those holes by "floating" paper on the ear drum and then insert the new tubes into the patch. It's a little tricky getting those to stay and the patch to work. Isaac can't get one drop of water in his ears or the patch will float off and the tube could fall back inside his ear drum (which would then have to be surgically removed again). So far so good. He had a check on Monday and the tubes were still in place. She said it would take 3 to 6 months for the patch to heal so she'll check his ears every month until then.

He also had that same cyst growth (cholesteatoma) starting on his ear drum again. Last time it was much larger and in the other ear. I didn't realize how serious it is. Apparently this growth contains an enzyme which dissolves bone. If it gets on the back side of your ear drum it can dissolve your bones of hearing leaving you permanently deaf. It can then keep going into your skull and expose your brain. Scary! Luckily she found it early and scraped it all off again.

The doctor also scoped his sinuses and said he has a terrible sinus infection...again. I asked her what we can do about a chronic sinus infection in kids. She said "nothing." She told us to try a saline solution in his nose and try taking him off of milk, wheat and sugar. Easier said than done, right? I think we'll start with milk (and do our best with no sugar).