It has been a very hectic week around here. Tuesday night last week, Tyler woke up screaming in pain, and was up all night. We finally got it out of him that it was his stomach that hurt. We seemed to calm him down enough and he still wanted to go to the babysitters. Wednesday night was a little better--he only woke up once. So, he went to the sitter's again on Thursday. That morning she called me suggesting I set up a doctor's appointment for him because he was so lethargic and not himself. Normally, after two days I wouldn't bother, but he had gone through something very similar two weeks before so I called the doctor and set up an appointment for that afternoon. About and hour later, the sitter called me back and said she didn't want to alarm me but that he was pointing to the right side of his stomach and she was worried about his appendix, with the way he was acting. I let her know that I had already set up an appointment for that afternoon, since he wasn't doing so hot.
So, I took him to his appointment that afternoon and the doctor saw him. She checked his stomach and ears, mouth and such and said she wanted some tests done--x-ray or CT scan. She was going to call the radiologist to see what he suggested. In the meantime, Justin made it to the doctor's office to hear the rest of the news: she wanted us to go immediately to Toledo Hospital's ER because she was also worried about his appendix. Not only were we not going to St. Luke's, which was really close, she didn't want us to wait, she wanted us to go right now.
We took the long 1/2 hour drive to Toledo Hospital and got to their ER. Tyler had several nurses and doctor prodding him and poking at him. He got an x-ray of his belly, too. I heard the ER doctor say he was going to call the surgeon for his opinion. When he came down and saw Tyler, he said they were going to start him on antibiotics that night and then perform the appendectomy in the morning. Imagine our shock! The little research I did before his appointment told me that appendicitis on 2 year olds are so rare. Not only did he have it, but it ruptured too. They told us he could be in the hospital for up to seven days!
Friday morning the surgery came bright and early, first thing. When he finally got out, an hour and a half later, I was so glad to see my baby. He was groggy, but asking for us.
Each day in the hospital got better and better, but Sunday was the turnaround day. He spent a lot of the day up and about, in the play room and reading. From then on he just got better and better, and actually got to come home on Wednesday, earlier than we were expecting.
I have to admit, when we were told to go to Toledo Hospital, I was worried. I knew we'd get the best care, but I wasn't sure how the nurses would be. I was used to St. Luke's--small and personal, where I had Tyler. Toledo Children's Hospital was great. The nursing staff that treated us was awesome. After a long first night in a shared room, they went out of their way to get a room cleaned for us and to move us to our own room which we had the rest of the week. It takes a special person to do what some of these nurses had to do on children and I commend them.
Tyler is still recovering, but doing a whole lot better. He's still in pain, but only because his intestines are swollen and irritated. Other than that, his inch long incision and stomach doesn't seem to bother him.
I do have to thank all the visitors and calls we received on top of gifts and prayers. I don't think we could have gotten out of the hospital so quickly without all the caring family and friends' support that we have. Thank you!!!
By the way, we took a bunch of pictures from the hospital. I'll post some of those later.
Here he is in the ER after being admitted and calming down from all the poking and prodding from nurses, doctors and student doctors.
Here is Tyler right after we got to see him in the recovery room. His arms are bound so he didn't pull any of the tubes out. Except that once he got used to them, they took them off and forgot to put them back on. He ended up pulling out his NG tube. Ouch. Mommy had to help the nurse put it back in at 3:00 in the morning.
Here is Tyler the day after his surgery (Saturday), wiped out, with his best buddy, Marty the Moose.
Sunday was a breakthrough day. Tyler was sitting up a lot. His face is so swollen here from all the IV liquids they gave him.
Here he is on Tuesday, in his cute hospital pj's and his Spiderman slippers. Doing better and better each day... He got his IV out this day.
This is day six in the hospital--the day he went home. Here he is in his pj's again, in the playroom. He seems pretty happy to be going home.
And he was. This is Daddy and Tyler at home now, doing one of their favorite things--singing.
And here's what his scar looks like after the steri-strip was taken off. Not too bad. He doesn't have stitches or staples to worry about. The doctor must have used the new medical glue stuff to close him up.
