Monday, April 21st, 2008

I wish I could report that I did have a good night last night, but unfortunately, it wasn't to be. I started projectile vomiting with Marianne around 1 am. She came and woke Mommy up about 1:30 and I continued vomiting for the next half hour or so. Mommy had decided after a week and a half of periodic problems it was time to go to the ER so we could rule out an obstruction. So Mommy, Daddy, Aunt Kristin and I headed to the UC Davis ER.

They asked my parents a few questions and led me back to the pediatric ER rooms. They said vomiting seemed to be the complaint of the night and there were several other kids there for the same reason. The resident came and asked my parents more detailed questions while I smiled and laughed at her. Mommy told me that they certainly weren't going to believe that I was sick if I kept doing that. Aunt Kristin said they were going to think Mommy had Munchausen by Proxy syndrome! The resident left to go read over my volumes of medical history at UC Davis. Some time later she returned and told my parents that they would be ordering some xrays to check the placement of the Mic-KEY button. You can see a picture of me and Mommy above in the room. Over the course of the next six hours, my parents took me in for three different sets of xrays of my belly. Just about the time I would start to sleep, it would be time for another xray. The last two, they put some stuff in my button called contrast to see where it would go. In between xrays they also hooked me up to Pedialite on a feeding pump so I would stay hydrated. Good thing my Mommy had packed extra clothes and lots of diapers because I had several explosive diapers and needed all the diapers and changes of clothes I could get. As it got later in the morning, Mommy called Lucille and had her get dropped off at the hospital since my parents weren't going to be home. I was very surprised and happy to see her.

The technician who performed the last set of xrays on me said she had a little boy named Peyton, too. He was three years old. She said she liked the name because it could be used for either a boy or a girl. My parents are a little surprised at how many Peyton's there are running around (more than they had thought!)

When the shift changed at 7 and we got a whole new set of nurses and residents, our morning nurse brought in a toy for me to play with to keep me entertained and some breakfast for my parents. Mommy and Aunt Kristin ran to get some coffee and passed Dr Sykes in the hallway. Mommy could tell he was trying to figure out how he knew her but he didn't say anything. The pediatric surgeon resident who saw me in clinic when my button was changed about a month ago stopped by to check on me, too. After review of the xrays it seems that my button is just where it needs to be and no obstructions were visable. Although my parents were relieved nothing was "wrong", Mommy is still upset that there is no explanation for all of the problems I have been having. The ER docs released me with instructions to follow up with my GI doctor. We all got loaded into the car and before we even left the parking lot, I started gagging in my car seat. Since nothing came up, my parents went ahead and headed home.

I tried to go to sleep but was kind of fussy. My Mommy waited for the GI folks to call her back about what to do but after a few hours she told Lucille to go ahead and put me on Pedialite while we were waiting. Eventually, the dietician at the GI office called back. She didn't really have any information for my Mommy but thought I should stay on the Neocate for now. In the afternoon, Mommy had Lucille change me to a mixture of 1/2 Pedialite and 1/2 Neocate. I held that down as well, so Mommy is going to keep me on it for my night feeding as well. Poor Daddy had gone on to work, so when he came home Mommy had him get something to eat and go right to bed. Aunt Kristin and Mommy stayed up with me until I fell asleep which didn't take too long, I was very tired. Everyone cross fingers for me that I will have a good night tonight!

Peyton Nicole Smith