Heather became ill on her birthday and was admitted to the hospital with an intestinal obstruction. Today is Day 4 and they are still treating Heather's obstruction using the NG tube to remove contents from her stomach. There were lots of issues with the initial NG tube not working, so yesterday they replaced it with a larger tube which is extremely painful. They are attempting to manage her pain, but as meds wear off and she waits for the next dose, she is miserable. Tomorrow they will do a two-hour test that involves administering a water-soluble contrast agent through the NG tube and then monitoring its passage through the intestines with abdominal radiographs. This helps determine the severity of her obstruction and whether it can be resolved non-operatively. If the fluid passes through, that will be AMAZING. If it doesn't, she will need surgery.
It breaks my heart to see her in so much pain, but as I write this, she is finally in a much needed deep sleep. Please keep her in your prayers.
The picture above was taken in 1983 and shows my Mom at the hospital with Heather. Heather was 15 months and dealing with the same issue she is experiencing today. Back in the day, if a family member couldn’t be with her 24 hours a day, they would have to restrain her arms to keep her from pulling out the nasal tube. Let's think about that - putting restraints on a toddler and tying her to her crib. I was so thankful that we were able to be there around the clock. Not many families have that option. Truth be told, I wish my Mom was with me today to help navigate these scary times. She and Heather had such a special bond.
xo
Lisa
