Deki's Excellent Adventure
Well, Deki's adventure actually started about 1:30 in the morning on Sunday, February 11. I got a call that he needed to go to the ER. He had a lump on his stomach and it hurt and he wouldn't stop crying. It turns out he has a hernia, the intestines were poking out through a hole in the muscle wall, and he wouldn't let them push it back in because it hurt so bad. So they gave him a relaxant and pushed it back in. If they hadn't been able to, they would have flown him up to Spokane for surgery that day. The other reason it was good was because the last time Laurie rode a helicopter, she threw up. But onward.
So we took him to a doctor, got a referral, and drove to Spokane for an afternoon appointment on the 21st. I was a little miffed because they wouldn't schedule him for surgery the same day and save us a trip, but whatever. So far he is having a good time: Chicken nuggets for dinner in the car (well, one bite; the rest ended up on the floor), fries (most of those were actually eaten), some Gogurt and milk. And we get to see Things On The Road, like Semi trucks. (Marion is not so fond of those). And the doctor's office has cars to drive!
Well, the doctor performs an examination, says Yes, indeedy, we need surgery, and the options are Thursday at 1, or Friday or Monday at 7:00 am. So we opt for Friday the 23 -- and did we mention that you need to be there at 6:00 am? -- and drive home. And we Make All Sorts of Arrangement by phone in the car. Cool! Isn't technology wonderful???
Then we hop back into the car Thursday evening and drive BACK to Spokane. Now it is dark, which is way cooler according to Deki because he sees all sorts of lights and even more semi trucks. And he gets to sleep in a bed with Mommy, who snores. But that is OK.
Things start to develop a less than optimal feel when he is woken up at 5:15 in the morning and not fed. Then he gets into a car which is really cold (The outside temperature is 10F. (-12C).) But the drive is basically one block, so it isn't too bad. Grandma leaves to get more sleep. Then they Attach Things To Him and he has to leave Mommy. Then he can't resist going to sleep.
When he wakes up, Things Are All Wrong. His tummy hurts. There is a big bracelet thingy on his arm that squeezes it. His hand is wrapped up and his finger glows red. And he is hungry and thirsty. So he gets apple juice and fish crackers, and the salt begins to sting his throat. So he gets a popsicle and applesauce. But his tummy still hurts, so the nurse gave him 2 doses of morphine. Then he starts to feel better, and starts smiling. And the nurse says we can all go home! That sounds really good to him, except he is kind of having a hard time standing. For some reason, having shoes on helps his attitude. Especially because they are Spiderman shoes. Then this big, one size fits all wheelchair arrives.
We all laugh, but the way he is curled up in it shows that, yes, he really does need this big a wheelchair!
Everything goes just swimmingly until about 20 miles outside of Spokane, when his tummy starts to hurt from the INSIDE. He lets us know in that energy saving cry that all parents recognize could go on all night. We find a rest area, Laurie takes him out of the car seat, walks him around, and within seconds, everything is better. Laurie, who has had 4 c-sections, says it is because food is moving through the intestines and pushing out on the incision. Just walking around helps to get things moving past the incision. The outside temperature has warmed up to 22F (-6 C), so we bundle him back up into the car. We stop in Ritzville for gas and coffee, and Grandma even buys him a hot (well, warm) chocolate. And we are off again.
Sure enough, his tummy hurts again, and, 15 miles later, we pull off at the exit to Lind and walk him around. It is even windier here, so he gets to wear Mommy's hat. Grandma starts to add hours to the drive home. But he falls asleep in the car this time, cuddling his hot chocolate.
This time he wakes up happy, disposes of the straw, and drinks the hot chocolate -- which is cold by now -- and gets it all over himself and his jacket and his blanket and everything.
The moral of the story: chocolate makes everything better.
posted by Marion @ 9:21 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home