An ear, nose and throat visit

When was the last time you looked inside a nose?  Or had the opportunity to look?  If I had known I was going to get such a detailed look inside Micah’s nose this afternoon I would have begged Charlie to cancel his appointment in order to go with us.  Dr. visits do a little something to me, especially when new procedures are done.  It doesn’t matter if I’m the patient or not.  My heart starts to beating a little faster, my languages mix up (meaning no telling what language I’m going to ask my questions in!) I break out in a sweat and I say the dumbest things. 

Micah has had some snot trouble and continual sneezing attacks among some other symptoms so I decided to take her to the ear, nose and throat specialist.  This Dr. is very sweet and gentle with kids (I know this because she has seen all 4 of mine at one point or another)  Anyway, we get there and she asks Micah some questions and does the routine looking in the ears, nose and throat exam.  THEN, she pulls out this contraption.

       

This is a rhinoscope.  A fishing rod looking item with a teeny tiny video camera on the tip.  It is “snaked” through the nose in order to explore the nasal cavity.    She explains to Micah that she is going to put this in her nose and that it is not going to feel very good (actually, like little ants nibbling) but she will be very fast.  Micah sits in my lap with tears in her eyes and gets ready for the procedure.  The Dr. “snakes” the rhinoscope through one nostril but doesn’t get very far because of swelling of one of the turbinates (we have three in each nostril).   She then turns to the other nostril and goes a little deeper in but has to pull out because of snot rendering the picture on the computer no longer visible.  After cleaning the little camera off, much to our dismay, she says she need to go a little farther.  At this point I wasn’t sure who was sweating more profusely, me or Micah.  The Dr. tells Micah to count to 5 (real slow like) and she would be finished.  She “snakes” the camera in again and I begin to count for a crying Micah..1….”hang in there,” I whisper ..2… “breathe”.….3…”we can do it”….4….”almost done now”…..5…” I’m going to buy you that big eyed stuffed animal you saw when we’re through……and the rhinoscope comes out.    As Micah is calming down (and I try to get my heart to stop beating so fast) the Dr. preps the video.

She walks us step by step through each nostril explaining what each thing is and what it’s job is.  The computer screen shows us an image like this one. The swollen looking bell thing is a turbinate and it’s purpose is to humidify and filter the air that is inhaled through the nose.  When a cold causes severe congestion (you know the dreaded stuffed up nose), it is usually this inferior turbinate structure that swells.  

          

The little camera made its way all the way back to the adenoids which are located where the nose meets the throat.  These things help keep your body healthy by trapping harmful bacteria and viruses that you breathe in or swallow. Adenoids also contain cells that make antibodies to help your body fight infections

While watching the images of my daughters inner nose, all I could think of was God, Elohim, the Mighty Creator.  I was looking at an intricately designed nostril where everything fit and it’s components all have a job to do in order to give our lungs the clean filtered air we need.   He didn’t just plop a nose on our face, He carefully designed one of the many aspects of our bodies.

     

The Dr. used all kinds of vocabulary I was not sure of (remember, she is an Italian Dr. therefore speaks and explains all things in Italian.)  Because language learning is ongoing and I have no problem telling someone I don’t understand and would they please explain it to me, she did.  Now, I know in my head that I understood her explanation, but to explain what I know to be true in Italian in English is a little difficult.  I do know that Micah has swollen turbinates and adenoids (Micah was so brave as that little bity camera “snaked” its way all the way back to look at the adenoids) due to allergies.   But by far, the most important thing both Micah and I know and were reminded of again in a new way this afternoon is this:

       “You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful (even swollen turbinates and adenoids) I KNOW THAT FULL WELL.      Psalm 139:13-14