www.itowler.com - Ian's Home on the web

Its been a long couple of days.  My daughter Keira has been in the Hospital and was very sick.  It all started on the Tuesday the 8th, when day care called and let us know that Keira had been doubling over in pain.  We picked her up from day care and went to see the pediatrician.  There were a few things that were talked about that could be causing the pain, but we decided to wait it out and see how the night went.  The night did not go well, and we ended up in the Emergency department of Nationwide Childrens Hospital.  After a lengthy wait (5 hours) in the waiting room we got to see a doctor.  Long story made short, Keira was diagnosed with Intussuception (which was exactly what my wife was concerned about). 

Intussusception (you can read more about it at Wikipedia by clicking on the link) is when the small intestine collapses or telescopes into the large bowel.  While not immediately life threatening it is painful and can cause the part that telescopes to die, and start to necrose.  Once the necrosis process has started that can be life threatening.  Luckily we did not get there.  To treat an intussusception, you give an air enema, which is essentially placing a plug in the patients bottom and blowing air into the bowel.  This re-inflates the part that has telescoped in.  Usually this solves the issue, but it did not work for us.  The picture is Keira after the second surgery, with a NG tube in blowing bubbles (trying to have fun).

While in the hospital (11 days) we had complication after complication.  Here is a list of what Keira had happen to her:

• 3 Air enema's
• 4 abdominal ultrasounds
• 2 rounds of abdominal X-Ray's
• 2 surgeries (1 to manually repair the intussusception, one for surgical site infection)
• Surgical site infection
• NG tube,
• PIC line
• Wound Vac
• C. diff infection

It was just one thing after another.  Keira finally got discharged from the hospital on the 17th.  We are going home on IV antibiotics, oral antibiotics, and with a wound vac in place.  We will need to return every 3-4 days to get the wound vac changed.

It's been a long road, but hopefully things are getting better.  Thanks to all that kept us in your thoughts and prayers.  We really appreciate it.