Welcome to today’s story time, it’ll have to be broken up into 2 blog posts because it’s 2 weeks of info here!
The last week of November my older son K complained about his tummy hurting. It was an on and off pain and we thought maybe it was gas pains or anxiousness since there were no other symptoms. It also was sporadic like one day pain, one day no pain. A few days later on a Sunday we went to the park. I noticed he looked pale but he was playing like normal with no complaint. I even told my sister, that maybe he’s coming down with something. We both thought maybe he looked tired from late nights?
The next day, Monday, he woke up and had pain urinating. I got on the phone and we had a virtual doctors appointment. We told our doc that he’s had on and off tummy pain and just recently looked pale with loss of appetite the last few days and also pain that morning in the bathroom. Our doctor told us to head over to the office and see another doctor in person and get an ultrasound.
This pic was taken on our way to the doctor not thinking much of it other than maybe a regular virus or something. Ugh!
That afternoon we saw another doctor in our pediatric doctors office. She tested his urine for a bladder infection. Felt where his pain was, made him jump(one of the appendix tests I guess) . He looked sick but nothing stood out to her. She said keep an eye out for fever etc but he was fine. I asked her for the ultrasound requisition and I got on the phone and booked the ultrasound for the earliest they had which was that Wednesday.
That night, in the middle of the night K woke up screaming in pain. I was worried and was ready to take him to the ER but he fell back asleep and said it went away.
Tuesday morning he crouched in pain. I called the ultrasound clinic near our home and begged them to take us in at 9am... they did. The technician kept asking questions like how long he had the pain, if the doctor requested blood work and why they took soo long to send him for an ultrasound. So at this point I was panicking. I asked him if I should go to the ER, he said he couldn’t tell me, but there is something there and to call my doctor ASAP and he will send the report ASAP.
I just knew deep down that this was way more serious than I ever expected. K looked sick. He was pale and weak and could barely walk at this point. Like how could I have not seen this coming. I felt sick to my stomach..but mama bear powers kicked in.
I called my husband and told him I was driving straight to Sick Kids Toronto. We live about an hour or so from this hospital. On my way down I kept trying to get in contact with our doctor with no luck. Right about the time I was exiting the highway to get to sick kids, I got through. They told me to get to the ER ASAP that his appendix already ruptured. I told them I was way ahead of them and getting there right then!
Our guardian Angels got me a parking spot right beside the elevators, thankfully there was a wheelchair right at the entrance too because K could barely walk. I sat him down and wheeled him in.
Thankfully it wasn’t busy. They took us in immediately and I showed them the report the doctor had emailed me just then stating the perforated appendix and abscess that had already formed.
They had to take him in for their own ultrasound and at this point they weren’t sure if operating was a good idea because of how the infection spread in the abdomen. Sick Kids has a team of doctors. We spent a few hours in the ER talking to multiple doctors as they decided what the best option would be. They started him with antibiotics as we waited. K was soo sick and soo scared, getting the IV AND covid test on a scared sick child was the worst!!!! My heart was breaking in a million pieces! Trying to calm my son down while keeping my own emotions at bay.
They then wheeled us to a room and we spoke to all the doctors again. Their first option was to try and clear most the infection with antibiotics and then come back to take out his appendix (not sure how that would have worked out) but they explained that if it didn’t rupture it would have been an easy surgery of removing the appendix and basically in and out no complications. This wasn’t the case because the rupture already leaked into the abdomen and it was a risky surgery. Finally Wednesday they decided to operate.
K couldn’t have anything to eat because the surgery was the next day, I couldn’t leave his side, I was soo worried. I had 1 water bottle in my purse that we shared and I had a granola bar in my purse to hold me over. That night I sat in a chair all night and didn’t sleep. I kept checking him to make sure he was ok. I prayed soo hard over him, we were all soo worried.
M was home with DH, DH kept M busy so he wouldn’t worry. He was missing us so much. Sending us pictures of the family he drew.
M directed DH on how to make his favorite pasta too!
(The pic above was when I was in the waiting room, when I thought after surgery it would all be over....)
Finally Wednesday surgery day. It was so hard seeing my son so scared and in pain. He couldn’t understand it. He was worried himself and didn’t think he was going to be ok. He was soo brave as they wheeled him in. We told him that he will wake up and not even know anything happened. He was wheeled in around 2pm and I ran to get something to eat. I was shakey and nervous and overcome with worry. I couldn’t think. I just ordered a grilled cheese and tea from Starbucks. Texting family and friends helped me through. All the prayers and messages kept me occupied while I waited. The room was full of moms waiting. All of us in tears worried sick about our kids. I met another mom waiting 10 hours for her son in surgery. We all sat there giving each other sympathetic gestures, all of us praying. K’s surgery took longer than expected which worried me more. I paced the room as it got empty and I was one of the last ones in the room. The tv that had the names of the kids in surgery even turned off and the secretaries left for the day.
Finally the doctor came out, he told me his appendix was so badly perforated it took longer to clear but they cleared out the infection and took out his appendix. They told me we had a tough kid considering how long he went with his pain.
They explained why the pain was off and on, that by the appendix rupturing it relieves the pain/pressure but leaks the toxins into the abdomen. Yikes! I was soo confused. The doctor said they got him on antibiotics and operated just in time. A huge sigh of relief hearing the doctor feel confident about the surgery.
His surgery was around 2pm and I finally got to see him around 7pm. I was soo foggy too that when the nurse asked me a question about K’s puffers, “when was the last time he had his puffer” I thought she said hot peppers. We all had a good chuckle.
After surgery K slept and just woke a few times to use the bathroom. I was soo relieved and thought after surgery we would be in the clear. I had no idea what the next few days and 9 more days in the hospital was to come.
We are so grateful for all the prayers and messages that helped us through this. God and our guardian Angels.
I’ll continue in part 2 tomorrow! This was pretty long! If you read till now thanks for reading!
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