Blog therapy. Using the blog to process the week as it happened. During the week, it was survive and do what Anna-Kate needed in the moment. Now, I feel like I need to process it so I can leave it.
Anna-Kate threw up starting Friday evening through early Saturday evening. When she woke up on Sunday, she seemed to be done throwing up. So, Will and I set out to re-hydrate her. She threw up 2 or 3 times, but it was like she was gagging on what we were giving her to drink. Late Sunday morning we noticed she was walking hunched over a bit. Will looked up dehydration and google said that it could cause some stomach pain. When she threw up a popsicle, we felt like we needed help.
We dropped Benjamin off at a friend's house and headed to the hospital. We just knew they would give her some fluid and then we would be back home.
Because of the "stomach virus," they said they would do stomach x-rays and an ultrasound along with her blood work. The doctor stopped by after the x-ray and said that her white cell count was really high, so there was definitely an infection. The ultrasound would check her appendix. That was the moment Will and I knew we might be there for more than fluid.
The ultrasound tech stayed over her appendix, confirming it was inflamed.
The doctor came in and said, "well, I think you have heard by now that she has appendicitis, Surgery is your only option. It didn't appear to be ruptured, but surgery will determine that for sure. The surgeon will take over from here."
Absolutely overwhelmed, surprised, simply following instructions at this point.
At 10:13 Sunday night, I signed the consent form for the surgery. We had to walk away from her, then spend the next little more than an hour waiting on the surgeon to tell us what had happened.
It had been explained to us that if they simply removed the appendix, she would go home the next day and be eating like normal pretty much immediately. If it had ruptured there would be a minimum 4-5 day stay for IV antibiotics.
About 11:30, the surgeon finds us in the waiting room. "Well, it had definitely perforated. It was pretty much blowing out one end. So, we will get her in a room. On an antibiotic. She'll go home in 4 or 5 days. You can go back to her room in a few minutes once we get her woken up. Remember she'll be a little groggy as she comes out of anesthesia."
Those words did not prepare me for this. She had an IV for her antibiotics and pain medicines. A catheter. A J-tube from her upper abdomen to drain the remaining infection. A N-G tube to keep her stomach empty for a few days. In her groggy, feisty state, she wanted to pull out the N-G tube. The hour and a half waiting on her to give in to the morphine and just go to sleep was so long!
The nurses were amazing help to us! Answering all our questions. One thing they explained well was the process toward better. They said Monday would be her most uncomfortable, highest pain day. Tuesday would be her tired day. The rest of her time would be spent regaining strength, getting tubes out one-by-one, and starting to drink then eat again.
Monday was absolutely the most uncomfortable day. One grace was that she complied to all the tubes the best she knew how. She periodically asked when they were coming out, but was amazingly compliant for all she had going on.
Monday, she also fought sleep. She refused to nap at all. You could tell she was totally overwhelmed. She also had her catheter taken out in the late afternoon. All the firsts were the hardest, and this day it was the first bathroom trip.
Tuesday.
Tuesday. It was my hardest day.
This was the day Anna-Kate had to start walking again. The first walk was to the aquarium in the waiting room. We were the closest room to the waiting room. She sat down in the chair there and fell asleep. After 5 minutes, we woke her and got her to walk back to her room.
This was absolutely the weary day that the nurses predicted. We got in the hoped-for 3 walks, but barely. She was so tired that by the end of the day it made her so groggy. She kept saying, "Mommy don't leave me. Don't leave me mommy." I would sit on her bed, stroking her arm. This was the day that broke my heart.
This picture was taken after she had mostly calmed down, and Bethany needed to eat.
Bethany did so well! It was a sweet gift that she rarely fussed all week!
Starting Wednesday, I would lay Bethany beside Anna-Kate periodically. Anna-Kate loved having her sister there. I think it provided a calm sense of normalcy.
The week really was full of sweet gifts to help balance the tough. Like food. Will and I bought only a few meals for ourselves.
The hospital was so generous with Anna-Kate, trying to make sure her experience was more comfortable and not scary. On Monday, one of the woman in charge of this side of her care came in with a lap-size activity table full of crayons and play-dough and coloring books.
On Tuesday, she came in with this. Isabelle, an American Girl doll. Anna-Kate was thrilled and I was pleasantly shocked.
I think it was Thursday before these pictures were taken, when she felt well enough to get to know her doll.
Wednesday was a normal in the progression day. She got out the N-G tube around lunch time and was thrilled! That meant she could drink for the first time and eat little bites. Wednesday was a happy day!
Thursday was a roller coaster. She was still having diarrhea, so they tested her for c-diff. It took 2 hours and lots of "oh no, that's contagious...the baby...oh no" before we found out that she did not have that. Then a great couple hours with a visitor and her longest walk. Then about 2:30 hit. She spent the next 3 hours vomiting. She napped. Drank a little, then threw up. Napped. Drank for her thirst, then threw up. Finally Thurs evening, a nurse called the doc and he said if it happened one more time, she would have to have an x-ray.
Friday morning at 8, instead of getting ready to be discharged as we had expected, the day started with the x-ray. The doctor realized part of her intestines was still asleep. The goal was to keep it easy, allow it to self-correct, If it didn't, re-inserting the N-G tube was a potential! No!!!
This picture was Friday.
Her spirits were high. She was frustrated she couldn't eat and couldn't drink much again. But, it was wonderful to see her spirits high!
Friday afternoon, they did another x-ray. The doctor was happy enough with what he saw. He gave her permission to eat and drink like normal again. But, he wanted her to stay through Sunday now.
The rest of Friday and Saturday were good days. She was occasionally moody, just really tired of being at the hospital, but overall they were good days. Friday night and Saturday night were not quite as great. I think she processed being overwhelmed and tired of being in that groggy state before sleep at night. She would get sad and irrational until she gave in to sleep.
These last pictures are of Friday and Saturday.
Benjamin had to stay at three different houses during the week. He was well behaved and happy while there. Since getting home, he has been a little feisty and had some potty accidents, but for a 3 year old trying to say I miss you, I will take it! Will and I are both so proud of how well he did.
Saturday morning, he came for a visit, right as our third dog visitor of the week came! The things that are in place to keep the kids spirits up really are wonderful!
Most of our walks were to this aquarium in the waiting room.
I absolutely loved seeing this grin!! Not nearly enough of these last week
Sunday morning cartoons
waiting for the doctor to see Anna-Kate one last time
This was one fantastic view! This was the first time we were in sunshine in 8 days.
Anna-Kate at home is amazing. She asks for a snack about every hour and a half. After about 3 days, she started asking more questions about the 3 band-aids on her tummy. Teaching Benjamin about being asleep when they opened her belly button. It is so wonderful to be at home with a healthy Anna-Kate again! (The comedy relief is that we came home to our upstairs AC not working in this 90+ heat. But, man nothing can dampen our spirits, we are home!)
