Appendicitis - The Long Story

Thursday evening, Sugar began complaining of a tummy ache. Friday morning, she woke up crying, groaning, and moaning. She can really be a drama queen, playing up her inflictions in order to get sympathy, but she was quietly crying, and the groans were more like little grunts - like she was just concentrating on getting through the pain. I was beginning to worry.

Sorry if this is TMI (Too Much Information)...

Then she threw up...not a wretching barf, like the stomach flu. She opened her mouth and it just blurped up.

RED FLAG!!! RED FLAG!!! RED FLAG!!!

When TE was her age, he did the exact same thing...and it was appendicitis!

We got her in to the doctor as soon as I could arrange care for the other kids and transportation. (I can't drive, because of my broken ankle.) (Childcare was Grandpa. Transportation was Grandma.) The doctor took a look at her, asked some questions, poked her belly and sent us over to another hospital, where the pediatric surgeons are.

We went to the lab for bloodwork, to confirm the diagnosis. We ended up waiting in the lab for an hour and a half. Finally, the pediatrician calls me and asks where we are. The surgeon is waiting for us. I tell her we are still waiting to register in the lab. Two seconds later, the phone rings at the front desk, they call our name, give me a new number, and tell me we're next. They apparently missed the big X in the STAT box. OOPS!

The blood draw went well and we were off to see the surgeon. By this time, the crutches were getting old, so I grabbed a wheelchair, but we let Sugar use it since it was such a long walk to the other end of the complex. Up at his office, he examined her. The blood test results came back slightly elevated, so he still was not 100% sure it was appendicitis. So he ordered a CT Scan for her ... at the other end of the hospital ... so now we have 2 wheelchairs. Wait and wait some more. Sugar is in pain and thirsty and hungry and tired and sore.

For the CT Scan, they must give her an IV. I mention that I don't watch because I faint at the sight of needles and blood. I hold Sugar's hand and look the other way. The first nurse tries and fails. They call in the pediatric expert and the nurse to hold Mommy's hand. :-) It was ugly. Not that I watched or anything. They tried twice more. The "Mommy nurse" was like a linebacker between me and my baby. She was very nice and all, but she was not letting me over there. It's a good thing. Finally, on the third try, after big prayers, tears, and a "C'MON" from Sugar, the vein opened up and they got it right. PHEW!

The CT Scan went fine. The results were immediate - and they rushed her to surgery. Thirty minutes later, she was wheeled away (approximately 4:00 pm). All went well. The appendix had not ruptured.

She was very groggy and sleepy until 4:00 am on Saturday. Then she popped up and asked when she could go home.

"Not yet, Honey, not yet."

She was bored for the next several hours, until her best friend came (as well as mine.)

She timed her attack just right. Saturday is the day "Zane" the therapeutic dog visits the pediatric floor. What a treat that was!

They released her about 2:00 on Saturday. She is doing pretty well with the recovery. She's a little tougher than I thought she was. I am so proud of the way she handled the whole thing.

That's my girl!

Blessings to you,
Mamita