I wanted to share our experience with Mason's first invasive procedure. Mason had been having a lot of issues vomiting and coughing for about 3 months. It was decided that the GI doc and the Pulmo/CF doc wanted a better look inside to see what might be going on, since everything else we were trying wasn't working. So an EGD (click here for details) and a Bronchoscopy with BAL(click here for details) were set! A little 10 month old should not be vomiting up to three times a day and whole bottles on top of it! It was a pretty stressful time, which eventually resulted in Hospitalization on July 22nd for 13 days.
we were told to arrive in comfy clothes!
We arrived bright and early to the day surgery area at Children's Hospital. By the time we got checked in and brought back it was 9am. We ended up waiting in the "pre-op" room until about 10:30am...only an hour or so later than schduled. That actually ended up helping my anxiety about the whole thing a little. My mom came along for added support so all 4 of us hung out playing (as best you can on a hospital gurney) and watching t.v.
Then all those involved came in one by one to explain what they were going to do, what they were looking for, and all the risks involved. Let me tell you, nothing like knowing these people are about to chemically put my son under and stick a camera with a tube down into his lungs and stomach, knowing they could puncture something and not to mention what this might do to his lungs to be intubated. They gave Mason some "silly juice" to make him relaxed. He just started to get "silly" and "loopy" when the anesthesiologist came in to explain everything. He cared not one bit when she decided she wanted to carry him back to the O.R rather then wheel him on the gurney provided. Of course, that is when the real tears started for me. However, once we got out into the waiting room I distracted myself pretty well.
He is such a trooper and my Hero!
trying to keep the smiles coming
he fell asleep waiting to go back...wish I could have
waiting, waiting , waiting makes Derek go crazy!
1st the GI doc came out to say that all looked good. Some inflammation and they took 4 biopsies from the esophagus, the base of the esophagus, the stomach, and the intestine. Initial findings, she felt that, yes he has some reflux but nothing that should be causing the amount of vomit to occur. She also gave us a copy of pictures of the inside of those 4 biopsy areas. 2nd the Pulmonogist / CF doc came out. We actually got to watch the procedure occur. It was pretty neat to see the inside of Mason's lungs! Part of the procedure is called a B.A.L, bascially they shoot salt water into the lung and suck it back out to get a better sample and clear mucus plugs. His lungs looked good she thought, but needed to wait for the bugs to grow to see what we might be fighting.
His IV was put into his foot. It was pretty hard to see him this way
Pretty out of it at this point
All in all we were away from Mason for about 1.5 hours. They didn't let us back right away because he couldn't keep his oxygen levels up. They gave him his first ever nebulizer treatment (which we now do on a daily basis) of albuterol to try and open those lungs up and it worked. THe nurse said they needed 2 of them to hold him down to do it...not surprised! He was pretty out of it and his voice was horse (both of which to be expected). Once we was doing better we moved to yet another room. Once, he was perked up enough we were sent packing...nothing like spending your July 6th from 7:30am to 3:30pm at Children's!
Feeling a little more perky!
Everything's okay since Mr. Blanket is with us.
Mommy and Daddy relieved it is all over
Results...well he had "many" staph bacteria growing in those little lungs of his.
