SMILES

I don't want to worry anyone, so if you haven't had palate surgery yet....you should stop reading this! I was just wondering if anyone could help, or just make me feel normal! Jackson is 5 days post-op, and he still seems to be crying ALL of the time! We are using the pain med and motrin, but I'm not sure that it's helping! He will go to sleep for about 30 minutes, and then he wakes up screaming again! I guess that I was just expecting to be past this point by now!!!! Has anyone else experienced this, and if so....how much more do I have to endure!?! We are all getting exhausted! Please HELP!
Allison

Hi Allison,

I don't have any real advice except to hang in there, we used the swing a lot and, for us, we were only allowed Tylenol and Tylenol with codeine ( the codeine seemed to rev our little one up to crankiness too - but I guess with what they have been through it is to be expected). The main thing we were to watch out for was discharge and a temp., but my thought is that if you are concerned, call the doctor - that is what they are there for.

For us it took almost a week for the 30 minute wake up screamings to end. It slowly got better with the second week and the third week was almost normal. I am not sure if I read it in a prior post but I believe that the explanation is that the anesthetic is "wearing" out of their little systems. Don't quote me on this however as I may have thought up this explanation in a sleep deprived state.

I don't know if you have any support to give you a break at home, if so, take advantage and take a nap. all the best, Heide

Andy's first surgery he had Tylenol with codeine and it really seemed to rev him up, not help him sleep and relax. That was hell.
Andy's palate surgery we got Loritab (also a Tylenol based med) and that didn't keep him awake and freaked out like the first pain med did.
Ask your doctor if you can do a different pain med...might make a difference!
Karen

Hugs to you! It is tough. Cole cried for days (so did I). He ended up having to go back into the hospital for dehydration and pain control. They put him on a morphine drip. They think he was not drinking because he was in too much pain. We ended up spending 7 days in the hospital after he was released. The surgeon said that it was most likely because of the extent of his palate (he had one of the worst palates she had ever seen).

It will get better.