Illness Invades the Reed Household

It's been quite a roller coaster of illnesses in the Reed household in 2009!

Let's start with Ethan! Ethan caught his first cold of the year at the end of January, which then developed into an ear infection, so he got a round of antibiotics. Then in the early morning hours of February 18th (one day after his actual birthday), Ethan came downstairs barely able to breathe. It scared the wits out of me, and one phone call later, my parents were here, and my dad and I took Ethan to the ER while my mom stayed with Kaden at home. Ethan had come down with croup, and after a dose of oral steroids at the ER, we were sent on our way with a prescription for 3 days of oral steroids to take at home. So poor Ethan had a rough week getting over the croup, and unfortunately, probably didn't enjoy his 4th birthday party as much as he would have normally, since he was still quite tired.

A couple of weeks later, I took Ethan in for his four year old well-check. He had lots of fluid in his ears, but they were not infected at that point. However, he did fail his hearing screening, so we were referred to a children's ENT. And the poor kid had to endure four booster shots, which he did not enjoy!

A week later, Ethan was back in the pediatrician's office for another ear infection, and therefore, another round of antibiotics. In the meantime, I had made an appointment with the ENT, but it wasn't for a few weeks. And then, yep, you guessed it!, about two or three weeks later, we are back in the office for ANOTHER ear infection. That was on a Monday, and his ENT appointment was that same week, on Wednesday, so I was very glad I had that scheduled!

Ethan and I went to his ENT, and he had a great time doing the hearing test! He thought that was quite fun. But he did show minor hearing loss due to all the fluid in his ears. Met with the ENT, and he recommended Ethan getting tubes, since he had had fluid in his ears for three months now, and it was not going away. So, Ethan was scheduled for surgery that Friday. I will make a separate post later about his actual surgery.

Now, let's move on to Kaden! Kaden started off his year with his six month old well-check and shots. He was quite healthy at that point! Then, several days after Ethan came down with croup, Kaden started running a high fever. One trip to the pediatrician determined he had a double ear infection, his first ever. So, he was prescribed a round of antibiotics. After 3 days, the poor baby was still running a 103 fever, so I brought him back in, and his ears were no better. So, we had to switch to a different antibiotic. Thankfully that one seemed to do the trick. A few weeks later, we were back to our pediatrician's office (yes, they are making their house payments off of us this year!), and Kaden had another double ear infection. So, another round of antibiotics, which he just finished up about a week ago. Tomorrow we go in for his nine month well check, and I hope to hear that his ears look great and there is no fluid retention!

Kaden has also been teething like a madman, but unfortunately, none have popped through yet. He is getting four at once right now, and is not a happy camper. Which means Mommy is not a happy camper either!

And lastly, now onto me! I woke up early in the morning on Friday, March 13th (yes, Friday the 13th) with pain in my abdomen. I have had this happen twice before since having Kaden, a couple of months apart, so I didn't think too much of it, other than, here we go again. But it usually went away in a couple of hours. I always thought it was indigestion, gas, etc. But this time it didn't go away, and the pain got worse, and localized to my right side, and radiated to my back. By 1:00 in the afternoon, I was doubled over at the kitchen table while trying to feed the boys lunch! Thankfully Brian was home, so he took the kids to their pediatrician check-up (to see how all the ears were!), while I hightailed it to the doctor. Xray, CT scan, and a phone consult from a surgeon, and by 3:30 pm, I was on my way over to the surgeon's office with the information that my gall bladder was very enlarged, and that I probably had gallstones. Met with the surgeon, and he said I definitely needed to have surgery to have it removed.

The surgery is usually an outpatient day surgery, but since I was coming in on a Friday afternoon, it wasn't going to be so simple for me! The surgeon wanted to admit me to the hospital that evening because he said if I had a gallstone blocking my common bile duct (the information you learn when necessary!), then bacteria can collect there very quickly, causing an infection that can be very dangerous. So, I raced home, threw some stuff into a bag, tried to explain to Ethan where I was going, and raced back to the hospital to get admitted before the front desk closed. After I was admitted, Brian brought the boys up to the hospital, basically so Ethan could see where I was, and that I was okay. I had to have IV antibiotics that evening to prevent any infection.

I was scheduled for the laparoscopic surgery on Saturday around 9 am, however, being the weekend, I got bumped twice for emergency surgery cases. Finally, around 3 pm, it was my turn. They wheeled me down for surgery, gave me a sedative, I kissed Brian, and they wheeled me off to the OR. I don't remember more than 2 minutes in that OR, which is fine by me! Woke up from anesthesia, crying my eyes out, but not upset. It's very strange to basically have your eyes cry, but not feel sad or upset or anything! Wheeled me back to my room, and found out that the surgeon took out the gallbladder, and tried to flush out the gallstones, but that I had one stuck in the common bile duct that they couldn't get. So I was going to have to spend the night again, and have a gastroenterologist do a scope procedure the next day to get any remaining stones. So, another night in the hospital, another round of IV antibiotics, and more saline! Have I mentioned that at this point I haven't eaten since Thursday? Friday I was nauseous and didn't want to eat. Then once I was admitted to the hospital, I could only have clear liquids until midnight, and then nothing the day of surgery. After the surgery, again, it was only clear liquids until midnight, and then nothing the day of the scope. I actually wasn't hungry most of the time, but a drink might have been nice every once in a while!

So, Sunday rolls around, and they finally get around to doing my scope procedure at 4 pm. Again, more anesthesia, and again, waking up crying. This is apparently my typical reaction to anesthesia, as I know now! The gastroenterologist said he was able to remove the gallstones, but that I would need to spend ANOTHER night in the hospital. So, night number three! Ethan was not happy with me at that point, and was wondering when I was coming home! Poor boy! I got a nice dinner of liquids, and then it was bedtime. Have I mentioned that it is impossible to get a decent night's sleep in a hospital? I'm sure any of you reading this that have stayed in one understand!

Finally, my surgeon comes by Monday around lunchtime and tells me that I can go home. I finally walk in my front door around 4 pm, and am attacked by Ethan. But that hug was one of the best ones ever!

So, now I am gall bladder-free, no complications, and just received a good result from labwork this week. So hopefully, I will stay healthy! I have enought to deal with just with the boys!

I should definitely mention that my parents were my lifesavers that weekend, because they took care of the boys while Brian stayed at the hospital with me during the day(s)! And Ethan had a wonderful time playing with them, and having someone's attention all day long!

Here is a picture that Ethan and Papa had taken in a photo booth at Grapevine Mills mall. Too cute!