Thursday, January 26, 2012

Something about Zhen


By now you surely know that with me, tomorrow means sometime this week or next, right?


Poor Zhen. From the moment we busted him out of his orphanage he has had nose issues. Among other things. First thing in the morning, virtually every morning, he would sneeze or cough and a HUGE, green, mega-booger would fly out of his left nostril. Easily the size of my pinky finger, this snot snake would often be licked clean before I could even grab a tissue! ICK!

Concerned about sinus infections, Zhen went through several series of antibiotics. The green snot always returned. Eventually.

Early in December, 2011, the odor arrived. Oh my goodness, the odor. I would wash his hair, brush his hair, but someone was going on inside. I suspected the nose, as it was running green and heavy again.

I couldn't wait to have his tonsils and adenoids removed! I thought that there might be rotting food hiding in tonsil pockets. I even told the doctor that I wouldn't be surprised if he found something stuck up his nose, considering the monster boogies that only came out of one side.

Well, guess what?

During Zhen's surgery, the doctor found a piece of upholstery-type foam stuck up in his nose. When I say stuck, I mean adhered to the tissues of his nasal passages. He tried to flush it out, but that didn't work. He had to go after it with instruments. Eek!

Poor sweetie. I suspect that that foam had been there for a LONG time. Zhen was a hurt puppy the whole afternoon and evening after the surgery. The nurses and I had to force liquids on him with a syringe. Same with his pain meds. He just laid in his crib moaning all night long.

Thank goodness he turned the corner overnight and was happily sucking down chocolate milk the next morning. He even willingly took his Lortab medicine, which tastes AWFUL. He's been in great shape ever since.

And no more monster boogies!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Poor little man, thanks God for your family saving him. Makes you wonder how Zhen was before that was up his nose, how his behaviour might have changed. Makes me so sad to think of him being distressed with this object up his nose and him being in trouble for his behaviour… how sore it must have been at different stages and the smell of it for him. the lasting effects on him being left like that. So good its gone, and he can start to heal. Cathy

Jolene said...

Oh, bless his heart! So glad you got it all figured out so that he can move on with life pain-free and infection-free!

Barbara said...

No doubt Zhen will be a new man from now on! Being able to breathe easily and all...Happy for all of you!