Matt's surgery

Dear Matthew and Toby

 

On Holy Thursday we all got up really early and headed to the Southbank Day Surgery for Matt's operation. Luckily it was just to have some dental work, however given the work that needed to be done you need to have a general anaesthetic, Matt, as there would be no way you'd sit still in a dentist chair for the length of time required to get it all done properly.

 

The reason you needed to get it done was that you had marks formed on your front teeth while you were in utero, and some degrading of your back teeth (supposedly) from long-term breastfeeding. I'm sorry you had to have this work done, I'm told there was nothing we could have done to have prevented the marks on your front teeth (which eventually started eroding away at your teeth), but I still feel bad that it happened while you were growing in my belly. Just a random unlucky occurrence, I'm told. With regards to your back teeth, I won't apologise for breast feeding you as long as you wanted - I chose to put your emotional and mental well being above your physical well being, and I'd do that again and again. I'm sorry it led to decay (supposedly) but you clearly needed that comfort from a developmental perspective so I believe we did what was best for you at the time. We chose to have the work done now in order to prevent a potential emergency later down the track, which may have been very painful for you (you didn't feel anything with the procedure).

 

So we arrived before 7am, and you got to chose the bandages that covered the cream to numb your hands (you chose blue and green). We met with the anaesthetist and your dentist before daddy took you into surgery (I needed to stay with Toby and only one parent is allowed, and from memory I'm pretty sure you chose daddy anyway). The mask was placed over your nose and you fell asleep while the work was done. When you woke up we were called in to where you were right away. You were very drowsy and took a while to sit up, but the nurses coaxed you up eventually with an icy pole. We took you home and you slept in the car and for a few hours more in your bed, but then got up and were absolutely fine.

 

You now love your new teeth and after a check up at the dentist yesterday who confirmed that they look perfect, we are so happy with the decision and know you are too as you smile a lot more freely now. We are so proud of how brave you were, and love you so much for being so resilient at only four.

 

Love you boys,

 

Mum xxx