Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Too many rocks and too much water

These past few weeks have been fun around the Baker house. "Fun" as in one weird illness after another. Of course we've gone through your typical cold virus's and stomach flu's...but we went a step beyond this time. Let's just say we're giving our health insurance a run for its money at this time. I am so thankful that we have it!

A couple of weeks ago after a pre-Thanksgiving dinner with friends I ended up in massive pain, curled up in bed with a heating pad on my back. I thought maybe it was just a back spasm. Nope. Gallstones. Joy! Since then the pain comes and goes, but it definitely isn't going away. I get my gallbladder laparoscopically removed on Monday morning at 10. Thankfully, it's outpatient surgery and the recovery time is incredibly short compared to the oldfashioned way of removal. The downside is that it's right before Christmas. The upside? I'll be able to eat more than just bread and mushy apples. I've lost weight on this diet, but I'm seriously coveting pizza right now. The word "pizza" alone conjures up images that make me drool. Yeah...it's that bad. So hopefully, in a couple of weeks I can enjoy a slice of pizza again.

Now the more heartwrenching story of the two...

On Monday morning, I walked into the boy's room just as Travis was waking up. As he rolled out of bed, he gave a pitiful cry and was unable to walk. The poor kid could barely even crawl. My heart totally sank. It was absolute deja vu. When he was 2 he developed a viral infection of his right hip that had the same symptoms--inability to bear weight on his right leg, let alone the ability to walk. Fast forward to this past Monday, I dragged him to the Dr. and of course by the time he got there he seemed perfectly fine. However, when she checked his hips he seemed to wince a little bit, but we thought that was more due to a possible injury of his knee. She told me to get an X-Ray on Wednesday if he didn't get any better.

On Tuesday it was worse. He couldn't even flex his hip let alone walk. When we picked up him he couldn't even wrap his legs around our waists--it hurt him to much to even be held normally. I took him in for his X-rays a day earlier than prescribed and they found excess water on his right hip. By the end of the day he still had his limp but was gearing back to his normal behavior.

This morning he's back to his wildman ways. I'm sure he's going to be okay, but it's aweful to see your kid go from being robust to being completely dependent on you for everything. He has an appointment on the 22nd with the pediatric orthopedist....in my honest opinion its a revisit of the synovitis of his 2's. I never realized that having a "cold in your hip" was a real thing. With Travis I've found it be true.

So there you go...I've got too many rocks and Travis has too much water. You can just call him "Tiny Tim" and me well...just don't call me late for dinner after my surgery!

--Laurel

6 comments:

World of Wright said...

Poor little Travis :( Seeing your kids in pain is the worst!
My mom had gallstones when I was about 16. She was on the toilet begging me to call 911. I thought it was a joke at first because I've had my own 911 toilet moments but it was for real. But once you start laughing at someone on the can it's hard to stop. I'll never live down the laughter.

Heidi said...

Tears for Travis... Kurt told me about it last night and I was so sad to hear that he had gotten hit with this thing again.

I'm so happy to hear that he's doing better and I hope that the pediatric orthopedist can shed some light on the cause - and some suggestions to keep it from happening again.

As for you.... My friend. I'm sorry that you have to have surgery - but I'm SO glad it's laproscopic. I will miss you terribly at the Christmas party (sniff). I've never attended a Christmas party without you (bigger sniff).

BUT! I'm SO glad it's happening before Christmas. Hopefully by the time the holiday gets here, you'll be feeling back to normal...

Love to you....

Kris said...

I had mine out just before Christmas..just days before. I was so glad I had everything organised because I stayed a week!!! The best thing was Noelle visited twice. Of course, the first time I was unconscious. LOL. And poor Travis. That happens to me fairly often. It is scary going from movement to age 80 in just hours. I was told it was a virus in my spinal cord and to keep them posted if it came back. Whatever. God keep your family.

And whatever do you suppose 'spinge' is?????????

VikingMom said...

Yeah, the chaos that's going to happen because I'm down for a while is my biggest fear. I know it gets bad when I have a simple cold...what about recovery from surgery? Yikes! I'm glad to hear that he's not alone in this ailment. Sometimes people look at me like I've grown a second head when I tell them he has a "cold in his hip". The older I get the more I realize, those old wive's tales are more often true than not!

As for "spinge" maybe its the skinny cousin of a sponge. Hmmm..

Sarah B. said...

How long are you going to be out for?...I could drop dinner off one of those nights. I know some of your neighbors that I rent out as babysitters too...lol. But I am serious about the dinner thing...one of those nights I want to bring your family dinner!

discomommy said...

WOW! I dind't know this was going on! How can we help you? Recovering from surgery the last week before vacation will not be easy. What can I do?
Ohhhh I got "focker"