April 21, 2013 - Jacob's Birthday Party

Jesse was invited to Jacob's birthday party and he lost two teeth that day!

What's happening with Ashlyn?

So, we went to the ENT for Ashlyn's normal ear check-up a few weeks ago.  There was stuff in her ear that he needed to clean out and it was pretty "crusty".  He could not get it all and said there was an air pocket that hadn't healed in her ear drum and he couldn't see way down behind it and said that we needed to make an appointment with her ear doctor in Tampa.  Last week she went to Tampa to see him and he cleaned as much as he could, but she was screaming and he was afraid that she would move.  He suggested putting her under to get in there clean it out and fix some things.  The air pocket was going all the way back to her eustachian tube, which is where the cholesteatoma started previously and he is worried that another one may try to start forming.  Depending on how the ear drum looks with that air pocket, he may need to do another tympanostomy reconstruction (ear drum reconstruction), which would require another skin graft from her other leg.

On top of all that, her orthodontist has her mouth at severe overcrowding.  It's so overcrowded, the bottom K-9 teeth have nowhere to come up.  So, she wanted to get three baby teeth and four permanent teeth removed.  So, yesterday she went to the oral surgeon and had 3 baby teeth (2 bottom pre-molars and one top pre-molar...she had already the other top baby pre-molar removed at the beginning of the year since it was dying) and two adult teeth (bottom 1st molars) that were buried below the gumline removed.  Her top will have enough room, we think, for the adult 1st molars to come down and then be pulled at a later time.  To do all of this, she took 10 mg of valium an hour before the appt and then was on laughing gas.  The screams started before the shots even were given and did not let up until the last shot was given, which wasn't for about twenty minutes!  I was able to stay in the room until the screaming started and wouldn't stop.  Then I had to sit in the waiting room (although I stood) and listen to the screaming from there.  But, when it was all over, she was happy and content...anybody that knows Ashlyn, knows this to be her character.  Too funny!  So, she is five teeth less today with three stitches (bankrupting the tooth fairy).

Right after we left the oral surgeon's office, we had to head over to meet your teacher day to drop off all the school supplies and turn in some more forms.  Oh boy, Ashlyn was still kind of out of it and emotional from the valium and had bloody gauze sticking out of her mouth!  That poor child had everyone's attention and I had to explain to everyone what she had just been through.  By the evening time, we had to go to parent orientation at the school and the girls were dropped off at childcare and when we picked them up, Ashlyn was jumping and dancing around the room!  I had to actually yell at her not jump around and run around, because she could start the bleeding again.

Today, Jason is driving the girls over to Tampa for Ashlyn's pre-op with the ear doctor and a hearing test.  Not sure if she'll have to do a pre-op over at St. Josephs or not, but wanted to get it done before school since school starts tomorrow.  The surgery will be next Thursday (August 16th), so she'll miss Thursday and Friday of the second week of school.  Please pray for Ashlyn that she will not need an ear drum reconstruction, as that will be a much harder and longer recovery!

Thanksgiving, Teeth Pulled, & Christmas Tree

We first went to mamaw's house for Thanksgiving. Wai-gong, Uncle Josh, Uncle Steven, Aunt Amy, and cousin Tyler were there. It was a very nice visit with them. Then we drove over to Wai-po & Wai-gong's house for Thanksgiving dinner with the rest of the family. Aunt Kara & Uncle Chris, Mamaw & Papaw, Grandma & Grandpa Drago, Aunt Arrietta with Riley & Ellie, & Uncle Tim & Aunt Demi with Taylor were all there. We found out that Aunt Kara was ~ 13 weeks pregnant! It was a very pleasant shock. The shock was more for her keeping it secret and running a half marathon only a few weeks ago. We all told what we were thankful for, and when it was Wai-po's turn, she cried while telling what she was thankful for, including her newer granddaughter Ashlyn. Ashlyn saw Wai-po crying, and she looked so sad, she almost cried then. But instead, she waited till it was her turn and just started full out balling her eyes out. She was so emotionally upset, we had to calm her down, and we reassured her that everything was alright and we loved her. It was so sweet & sad. The food was so yummy!








So Ashlyn finally got her two teeth pulled this morning. Gave her some valium this morning, an hour before "surgery". Then we went in, they gassed her with nitrous oxide, which made her think everything was funny until the novacaine shots came. After the numbing was complete, it literally took 2 seconds per tooth to pull out. Then they gave her oxygen to get the nitrous oxide out of her system and she was ready to go. The teeth are still bleeding a little, but nothing too serious. She keeps wanting to eat things she shouldn't be eating and I'm afraid she'll get something stuck in one of the "holes". Both teeth had cavities that the dentist didn't even know about. I'll have to show Dr. Tuttle the next visit so she can start getting x-rays done to see if there are any more.
After awhile, Jason got the Christmas tree out of the attic and we set it up. Then the girls put the ornaments on the tree. They had fun, even through the arguing about whose turn it was. Here's some pictures.