Last week started quite okay as usual. Then on Tuesday morning, less than 2 hours after arriving in the office I recieved a phone call from home asking me to rush back. "You have to come back now!! There's something in girl's stool..." I could sense Mama's concern in her voice.
After arriving at home and saw the sample Mama's had kept in bottle, I became very very worried. There was blood clot in the stool, and the amount was quite substantial for a 2-year-old. We quickly rushed her to see the paediatrician, bringing along the blood clot sample.
Upon seeing the blood clot, the paed immediately referred us to a paediatric gastroenterologist/surgeon in another hospital. I have an inkling it's gonna be rather serious. The doctor asked to admit girl immediately for observation but stressed he won't proceed with any tests yet. For the time being just purely observation. Being a mother, knowing there is a health problem with the child but don't know what caused it and whether the condition is life threatening is simply agonizing and stressful. There was also limitation to the tests that can be conducted due to her age because certain equipment is just too big for her.
Upon seeing the blood clot, the paed immediately referred us to a paediatric gastroenterologist/surgeon in another hospital. I have an inkling it's gonna be rather serious. The doctor asked to admit girl immediately for observation but stressed he won't proceed with any tests yet. For the time being just purely observation. Being a mother, knowing there is a health problem with the child but don't know what caused it and whether the condition is life threatening is simply agonizing and stressful. There was also limitation to the tests that can be conducted due to her age because certain equipment is just too big for her.
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We got her admitted on Tuesday afternoon; the doctor inserted the cannula on her left hand to withdraw blood for tests and plasma matching, and after that we could only wait. The next day she was given suppository to induce bowel movement. I became even more concerned when there was more blood clot and mucous-like jelly in the stool. The day was filled with anxiety as we don't know where the bleeding and what caused it. The doctor arranged barium enema for girl on Thursday morning. She had to fast before the test which meant nothing should be consumed from 4am onwards.
Luckily the barium enema was able to help the doctor's diagnosis. Immediately after the barium test and ultrasound was conducted to affirm the finding. She was diagnosed with intussusception and needed surgery right away. In a way I was relieved that there was finally a diagnosis and the condition is treatable, but then at the same time worry about she having to undergo medium-risk surgery at this young age.
The surgery was scheduled in the afternoon. The nurses allowed me to carry her from the ward into the OR. She was oblivious to what is awaiting her because she just stared at all the people around us and didn't make a fuss. As I put her onto the table she began to wail; the nurses and I had to hold back her struggling for the anaesthestist to sedate her. It was indeed difficult to see her crying, struggling and all while not being able to completely calm her down. I was led out of the OR after she had been sedated.
I guess luckily her case was not too complicated so the surgery only lasted one hour, but that was the longest hour to date in my life! The anaesthetist called me into the day care room as soon as she was wheeled out of the OR. She was conscious, wailing and calling for me at the same time. The moment I saw her, I felt a huge sense of relief. After about one and a half hour of close monitoring, she was wheeled back to the ward.
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I asked her the next day whether the wound is painful and she said no. No food was allowed after surgery so she was given dextrose intravenously. The hardest part of post-surgery was to deny her request for food/drink when she sees me eating. Thank God for her speedy recovery, the nurses were commenting that they've never seen any patient so active or energetic post surgery because she was walking like she didn't have surgery at all on friday night (of course with me pushing the IV-drip after her). Another good indication was that there was no rectal bleeding again after surgery.%20(2).1.jpg)
The doctor told us that on top of reducing the intussusception, he had performed appendectomy on her as well since it was a bit swollen already. Girl was discharged this Monday. Right now she is on soft diet. I went back to work on Tuesday this week; work had already piled up in my one week of absense. That's why I had been busy lately clearing up my work. Gonna bring her back to the hospital for follow-up this Sunday and to remove the dressing. Hopefully the doctor will give her a clean bill of health and allow more food variety in her diet; I'd think she'd be happy about that ;)
posted by domesticgoddess at 3/31/2006 09:59:00 am
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