Friday didn't get any better ....

Tyler's ENT appointment was at 3pm in Takapuna (~40 min away). We left just after 2pm because I had to stop for petrol on the way, and I needed extra time to find the Specialist Centre. And I hate to be late.

The first 10 minutes of the car trip were great. The boys were actually holding hands in the back seat, because I told Ethan that Tyler had really sore ears and might need to have an operation. They looked so cute sitting there with their hands stretched out across the middle seat.
But then Ethan let go of Tyler's hand. He said it was "too hot and wet" to hold any longer.
This was followed by screaming and crying (from Tyler) for the remainder of the journey. Despite my pleas for Ethan to "please hold Tyler's hand ... just for 5 more minutes?!"

I found the centre relatively easily, and we got inside at exactly 2.55pm. I went to the reception desk to announce Tyler's arrival, only to be informed that I did NOT have an appointment. She checked a few times and then said "Oh, I remember now. It was your husband who rang. He was going to check with you about the day/time and then ring back. He obviously forgot to ring back."
Rob had made the appointment on Wednesday, after ringing me at work to check the time would be okay. I did have a very fleeting thought that perhaps he had forgotten to ring them back, but I was 99.9% sure that he would not have forgotten (sure enough, when I rang and checked with him he said he had definitely confirmed the time).
I made it infinitely clear that the appointment definitely had been confirmed, and that I had travelled all the way from the Hibiscus Coast and was not leaving until I had seen Dr Bodenstein. Thankfully the receptionist seemed to take pity on me and said she would just have to fit us in.
Then she tells me "Oh, and Dr Bodenstein is running SOO late today. There are 4 people waiting in front of you."

What????

I then endured ONE HOUR of waiting with a screaming toddler. Ethan was very well behaved, and sat and played with toys without complaining. But Tyler did not want to play with toys. He wanted to run around. He did not want me to stop him from running around. The receptionist kept offering lollipops. I told her Tyler had never had a lollipop before, and she said "well, why don't we introduce his first one right now?" so we did. He demolished it in less than 2 minutes, and then the screaming started again. Her solution was to offer more lollipops! I politely declined and said something about too much sugar for one day. But of course she still managed to give 3 lollipops to Ethan.

We finally got to see the doctor at 4pm. Tyler was a perfect angel while he checked his ears but then the crying started again when the doctor and I were trying to talk. So everything was pretty rushed and I didn't get to discuss things as much as I would have liked.
Dr Bodenstein said the decision was mine (as to whether or not to go ahead with the surgery) but that whatever decision I made would be the right one! He did say that considering Tyler's history, he would be inclined to intervene. And he said the fact he is getting nasty infections in the middle of summer makes him wonder how much worse things could get in winter, especially now that he is at preschool.

So we decided to go ahead and get bilateral grommets. The surgery is scheduled for Wednesday morning at 7am. I'm taking the day off work (or most of it, depending on how I feel on the day). We'll take Ethan with us, I know he'll be well behaved and it is not a long wait (about 1 hour after the operation). Please remember Tyler in your prayers. I know the operation is very simple, but it is still a general anaesthetic and I have vivid memories of last time ... holding Tyler while they held the gas mask over his little face, hearing him moaning and feeling him go limp & floppy in my arms. It was the worst part of the whole thing, but at least I know what to expect this time.
It still won't be easy for me, so while you are praying for Tyler, you could say a prayer for mummy too.