Tag Archives: recovery

There’s a Snore-a-saurus in My Adenoids: Surgery Books for Kids by Nat Gibson (Book Review)

Is your little one getting ready for adenoid surgery? Do they also have a dinosaur-sized imagination?

When Ollie’s snoring interrupts his (and his brother’s) sleep, he discovers that a mischievous dinosaur might be to blame! Join him as he experiences the surgery process in a special way at the Dinosaur Catchers’ Camp (hospital)—where he’ll:

  • Receive a unique bracelet (hospital wristband)

  • Go to the weigh station (weight measurement)

  • Get an arm hug (blood pressure reading)

  • Wear special pajamas (hospital gown)

  • Put on a magic mask (anesthesia)

  • And finally, meet the Dinosaur Catchers (doctors) who will remove his adenoids and capture that silly little dinosaur!

 

Created to help ease worries by turning a real medical procedure into an exciting dinosaur-catching adventure, this book uses a mix of information and fantasy to help parents guide young children and toddlers through adenoid removal surgery and recovery—in a way that feels magical rather than scary.

For extra fun, have a small dinosaur ready for your child after surgery.

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 

Nat Gibson is back with another fabulous picture book; this time, they are tackling the annoying snore-a-saurus!

Do you have someone in your life that snores? Whose snores cause you to lose out on precious hours of rest? As There’s a Snore-a-saurus in My Adenoids: An Adenoid Surgery Book for Kids begins, we find James feeling frustrated over his brother’s loud honkfewww, a common situation in many shared bedrooms. James tries to gently wake his slumbering brother before finally shouting, “I can’t sleep.” Sweet Ollie expresses his apologies, but he can’t help it. He said it felt like something was blocking his nose. It’s time for Ollie to visit a doctor to find out the cause of his noisy nose and how to fix it. During the doctor’s visit, it’s revealed that a dinosaur is the culprit behind Ollie’s woes. It’s hiding behind the adenoids, blocking the airflow. The author understands that adenoids will probably be a new term for many children; therefore, they have included an easy-to-understand explanation and a funny illustration showing the dino giving a one-arm hug to a tiny, squishy blob (adenoid). Kids might assume, like Ollie, that if the problem is inside their nose, they should be able to dislodge it themselves. A nice thought that is expressed through four cute drawings.

Unfortunately, Ollie’s loud schnoz can only be fixed by removing the dinosaur from its hiding spot. In other words, he needs an operation. Hospitals can be a scary place for kids. The enormous size, bright lights, and mounting fear of what’s to come can make youngsters panic, especially when they hear the word surgery or operating room. They often fear going to sleep and never waking back up. That’s where There’s a Snore-a-saurus in My Adenoids comes in handy! In this adorable story, Ollie didn’t go to a big, scary, intimidating hospital. No, they went to Dinosaur Catcher’s Camp, where a dino helper gave him a special bracelet (hospital wristband) that instructed the Dino Catchers on where to look for the troublesome dino.

Next, Ollie headed to the weighing station (the scale), where the unexpected happened. (No spoilers.) This leads readers to remember one should not eat before surgery. Every step in the pre-op procedure was simplified using kid-friendly terms, such as instead of saying blood pressure reading, the writer said, “arm hug.” The writer and illustrator never strayed away from the dino theme, not in text or design. Kids will love Ollie’s special pajamas: blue clothing, red cape, and yellow hat. Parents, educators, and medical personnel will love how the creators of this wonderful book took a potentially overwhelming and frightening situation and made it look not so scary. The dino catchers (surgeon) and their helpers (nurses) reassured Ollie and kids facing similar situations that they would never be alone during the whole process. The nurse continues to explain the nice aroma in the “magic mask” allows the team to safely capture the dino as Ollie catches some zzzz. The staff member’s comforting words put Ollie at ease and hopefully their words will do the same for readers of this delightful storybook.

While children might initially feel trepidation about the surgical process, the book’s humorous illustrations quickly turn fear into laughter and smiles. The dino’s antics and the final image are sure to bring a smile to their faces. If the dino images don’t do the trick, the thought of the popsicle room (AKA recovery room) certainly will!

Is your child feeling apprehensive about an upcoming nasal surgery? Do they have a family or friend who’s about to undergo a dino (adenoid) removal procedure? If you answered yes, I’d recommend sharing There’s a Snore-a-saurus in My Adenoids with your child. It’s a silly but informative story that eases fears regarding what will happen before, during, and after the surgery.

I adored the illustrations, the dino theme, the simple dialogue, and how keywords stood out, thanks to brightly colored shading. I highly suggest sharing this stupendous story with your family and counting down the days to a peaceful night’s sleep!

The recommended reading age is 2-7 years.

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

Meet the Author

Nat Gibson lives in California with her husband and two children, both of whom had surgery before turning 4 years old. Her books are designed to help parents engage their child’s imagination as they go through new or difficult experiences.
 

 

 

 

 

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Finding My Sunshine (A Memoir) by Shannon Leith McGuire (Book Spotlight / Author Interview)

FINDING MY SUNSHINE by Shannon Leith McGuire
Content Rating:  PG+M for bad language, anger, and suicidal thoughts, clinical depression, and assault
 
“What if that someone was you?” Shannon had been so quick to blame others for her anger. She knew she was drowning in darkness and pain; being born with a learning disability made her feel defeated by life. She tried drinking heavily in order to quiet the demons. After being kicked out of college, Shannon took a leap of faith and started working in a nursing home. That’s when her angels appeared and the miracle began. The insight and wisdom she gained from those elderly new friends led her on an inspiring journey of discovery and self-acceptance. Each of us has our own path. Some of us just need angels to help us find it. This is her story.
 
 
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Meet the Author:
 
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Bio: Shannon was raised in a small town in Eastern Montana, where you leave your car keys in the ignition and your front door unlocked all the time. The kind of place where sunsets and sunrises can be seen for miles on the horizon. Where the spring crickets and frogs resting in the irrigation ditches helped transition the days into a calm resting night. Where the winters can get so cold, air can freeze.

It was only after she was academically suspended by the college she was attending, that she became a Certified Nurses Aide (CNA). She did her training in Billings, Montana and it was there she learned how to take care of others and bonded with the geriatric population.

​For over five years, Shannon worked in the same nursing home where she received her training. The work was hard, but it grounded her and helped her find balance in what had become a deeply unbalanced life. It was not until she was a CNA, at one of the hospitals that she had a dream-three nights in a row-that she was going to become a nurse.

She currently resides in Tampa, Florida, where you may hear her laughing with her husband of over 10 years,  scuba diving in the ocean, taking walks with their rescued pit-bull dog- Darby, or dancing together to life’s music.

 

In your book you wrote how disappointed you were when you found out you had Poly Cystic Ovary disease and that you had always wanted to have 4 boys. Did you ever think of adopting?

Yes, I did. However, I knew for some time I could not take care of myself. How was I going to be able to take care of children?  I was not put together yet, and it took many years for me to feel like I was able to care for myself. I did not have the money to work with a fertility specialist. It was something I had to come to terms with and accept. It was not in God’s plans for me to become an actual mom.  So, I am a mom to my rescue dog, Darby. 

 

 

What is your pet peeve?

One thing I learned from my time in counseling with Tom is to be truthful.  I found that if you are honest in the beginning, everything really will turn out okay. There is no reason to lie.  Lies start a domino effect and people get hurt. Sometimes you cannot take back what was lied about. Saying “I am sorry” after a lie is owning up to the action, and it changes everything. I learned you only are as strong as your word. 

 

 

There are many memoirs out there about people’s lives. What makes yours so special?

 Like so many other memoirs, mine is about finding myself and finding a balance. I write about how I was trying to survive; I had darkness all around me. Counseling helped me shine the light on the darkness, and really helped me own up to my insecurities, anger, and hatred of myself. I realized I never was a victim of life.  I just needed help; I denied myself for many years. My hope is my book will help others get help earlier and live their best life and not wait so long to get it like I did. I hope others learn that mistakes are not a life sentence, and you can get better. But first you must admit you need help. That is the first step. I hope I make it easier for people who are struggling to find their way and let them know it is okay. And, let them know their lives can be SO much better.

 

 

Tell us more about your rescue dog, Darby.

Pit bulls have such a bad rap. I have learned a lot about the breed from watching Pitbull’s and Paroles and reading up on them on my own. We wanted to help.  We were on a web site, Pet Finder, and we saw her.  She looked like she had road rash on her right shoulder, and scars all over her face, but she was still smiling. We made an appointment to go meet her, and she was lovely.  She had healed stab wounds all over her body and her tongue needed to be surgically put back together. She was found when police did a raid on where she was living.  Jimmy’s Angels rescue center took her in, cared for her, and brought her back to life. We fell in love with her. They came out and did a home check. She has been with us for a little over a year now. She is living proof what a little bit of love can do to change someone’s world.  She goes everywhere with me.  (And she snores louder then my husband.)

 

 

Tell us more about your favorite resident. What drew you to her or him?

I have so many favorite people I have taken care of over the years. But I guess the 2 that I truly bonded with were Betty Ann and Phyllis. I talk about them in my book. I guess because they were once broken also, and both shared it with me.  They shared with me their stories and how they got through the tough times and struggled with addiction (alcohol) as well.  I guess what drew me to them was the rawness of how they were.  They too had one-night stands, got drunk at parties, lived by the seat of their pants, did what they needed to do to get by.  They helped me realize mistakes are not life sentences. It is just life.  They helped me stop taking things so seriously and being so hard on myself.

 
 
connect with the author: website
 
 
 
 
 
Disclaimer: All questions and answers were constructed by the author and/or their representative. 
 
 
 

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