Site Title

Caleb and I spent 5 hours in the ER last night. 

He came home from school complaining of pain in his abdomen.  We had him go potty, and then lay down, but it kept getting worse.  Tender to the touch, and waves of intense pain…enough where he was crying and getting pale.

We let that go on for about two hours and then decided to take him in.

By the time we got there he couldn't walk, was bent over and white as a sheet.

As soon as we sat him down to get checked in, he threw up.  So they got us back to a room as soon as possible.

Within 5 minutes we saw the doctor (a new record!) – he ordered a CT Scan.  Within 5 minutes after that we had his blood work done and an IV in (another new record!).  The nurse and doctor were very attentive and very nice.  And both worried about appendicitis.  And it was a hopping ER, and two people had died there that day (very sad), so I was surprised by the great care we got.

So we spent the next 2 hours trying to get Caleb to drink 2 1/2 cup fulls of nasty fruit punch-disguised liquid to show "contrast" in the scan.  Caleb is picky.  And doesn't really like juice.  And is stubborn as all get out.  And he was so uncomfortable.  But they told me they couldn't do the scan until the drink was finished.  So I did everything – pleaded, coerced, bartered, bribed, did some tough-love, lectured, prayed, etc, etc.  We only had about 1/2 a cup left, when he threw it all up.  All that work – and no "contrast".  I looked at him and said "no more juice, buddy".  We were done.  He was in so much pain – it had started on the left, and had spread to the right and his back.  During the process they had given him morphine and phenergan.

So they decided to do the scan anway.  He was great for that.  They put some stuff in the IV that had a warming effect in his body.  And they had him put his arms up above his head.  He looked like he was on a beach somewhere relaxing, and afterwards said the CT scan was his favorite part!  Funny.  Seeing a little guy in a big machine is something I will never like though.  I remember feeling the same way when 4-month old Samuel had an MRI.

Results:

Caleb's WBC was only slightly elevated.  CT Scan was clear.  No appendicitis or colitis.  He has bowel blockage.  Possibly aggravated by the Augmentin he was taking for the lymph infection.

So no surgery (thank goodness).  And no hospital stay. 

We came home around 10:30 last night.  And he's home today, on a liquid diet until we can get things moving.

BUT WAIT – he'll be back at the hospital on Saturday for his tonsilectomy!  We're old pros though, so it should be a breeze.