Oh yes it was common practice here as well, frequent tonsillitis was a good excuse to remove the tonsils. I remember a friend in primary school missing an entire term because she was hospitalised with va bad kidney infection, her Mom said the specialist believed it was because her tonsils were removed, they help our body fight the bad guys. I had mine removed as an adult and that's when I suddenly developed all kinds of allergies, hayfever is the pits! So I have to take a mild antihistamine when the seasons change otherwise I sneeze my lungs out!
You made me laugh with the story of your day's training, all that dessert and no veggies!