When we checked in this morning, we were told the surgery was scheduled for a 6-hour time slot. "Shocked," I tell you...that was my reaction, since that was news to me and seemed extra long for the "simple procedures" planned. Then I switched to "happily surprised" when the docs said they only expected it to be actually around 3-4 hours...6 hours would be EXTREME. Now...we'll just go with "false amazement"...since we're now WAY past that wacky 6-hour mark.
*please forgive the excessive amount of quotation marks*
*can't seem to just give straightforward information*
*why do I try to explain these things*
Anywhoooo, we do have some information on the first part of the surgery so I thought I'd go ahead and get moving on it.
While I was out shopping with the man-child for his upcoming college move-in date (we're fine. I'm fine. everything's fine), Dr. Hansen came in to update the hubs. I'll do my best to relay that info accurately.
When they began exploring behind the ear drum, they discovered 2 bones that weren't "normal" but were working fine. The 3rd bone, the stapes, is fixed...the bones have to vibrate to conduct sound. The only thing to do for this is a stapedectomy, which will basically bypass the non-working bone. Unfortunately, this can only be done by going through the inner ear, which has some increased risk. 1 in 100 could experience complete hearing loss in that ear, with no future options available. He recommended waiting until Zane was between 12-14 yrs. to move forward. This is primarily due to two factors: our wild man would have to be motionless...MOTIONLESS...for several days...SEVERAL DAYS. You feel me? Also, due to the possible risk, Zane himself would have some input and need to understand the complications. For now, though, he would actually be able to be fitted for a "normal" hearing aid (not the surgical implant) and would, most likely, benefit from that tremendously because he does have some hearing in that new ear.
No news yet on the countdown/anesthesia bet. I should be ashamed. But alas, I'm just hoping for that $10.
SO...bummer...it's not what we'd been hoping and praying for, but we are grateful to know exactly what we're dealing with and that there are still possibilities to explore in years to come. For now, we will let him recover from surgery and then set up that fitting for an in-ear hearing aid...which I'm reminding myself again...is a miracle all in itself.
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