Premature Elation

We parked the PT in our church's parking lot and set off hand-in-hand to walk the six blocks to our 20-story white and grey destination.

The walk was pleasant. K held my hand without the usual pulling away. He commented on the men pouring concrete ("They're pouring cement, Mommy!") and babbled incessantly about where we were headed.

We entered the building and caught an elevator to the 5th floor. I want to go that way mama!

Sorry, but we need to go this way.

We approach the desk and K announces Hi! I'm here to get my ears checked! The desk attendant smiles. Oh? And your name sir?

We sit in the cramped waiting area "reading" the newspaper and a sports magazine until a friendly woman appears and calls K's name.

Hi! he says. I'm K.

She introduces herself and the audiologist. Again, he introduces himself without prompting. Hi! I'm K!

One of the women look in his ears and say the words I am unprepared for. Looks like there is still a tube there.

They play games. First, K is to hit the scoop of a plastic shovel when he hears a sound, sending plastic bugs flying. He loves this game, but is patient and actually listens to hear the prompt before smacking the shovel scoop. His laughter is making all three adult women giggle.

He's done so well he earns 4 stickers, 2 pencils and 2 suckers (1 for him and 1 he's requested for his sister).

We head to the next appointment waiting area and check in. We're "reading" another magazine and attempting to not bother fellow waiters when we hear K's name.

Hi! he says as we approach the woman who called him. There's the doctor! Hi doctor!

The woman smiles and tells him she is not the doctor but she is glad to meet him.

He plays in the room as we wait.

The PA enters and looks in his ears.

Yep, looks like a tube in his right ear still.

I reiterate that we have a tube in ear wax at home. I'm told that it's probably the one from his left ear. Apparently they can come out of the drum and be stuck in the ear canal. Considering all the wax on the tube, this is probably the case.

His surgeon is called in and she confirms that the tube, indeed, is still in. So we need to schedule the surgery to have it removed.

I hug him a little tighter before another friendly woman escorts K out to pick a prize while I hear the details of the surgery.

He re-enters with 2 more suckers, 2 more stickers, a bottle of bubbles and a ball.

The woman he played games with sticks her head in the door saying she just had to see K one more time and warns me that there are at least 2 women who are plotting to take him home tonight. I tell her that some days I would gladly take them up on that.

His surgery is scheduled for 2 weeks from today. September 21st in the morning. Then he should have only one more check six weeks following. Then we should (hopefully) be able to close this chapter in K's life.

Although the women of West 5 will miss him. He had no less than 10 women fawning over him. Honestly it started to get a bit ridiculous at the end.

When he's a teenager we're getting an unlisted phone number.

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P.S.
Miss M emerged from school with a stuffed penguin that she won from the school fundraiser so she was thrilled, of course.