3 years ago

3 years ago, almost to this day, Kendall had her infamous stomach surgery. She had a partial blockage of her duodenum...which is basically the beginning of your intestines. For Kendall, this meant that she felt full really easily because it took food a long time to pass through that area and digest. Other kids who have this either don't have an appetite at all or throw up everything they eat. Kendall only threw up occasionally when she ate too much but it wasn't often enough to make us think anything was off. By age 2 her weight gain had slowed down and by age 3 we were trying an NG tube to help her gain weight. Before the NG tube was given to us we had to have an endoscopy done on her to make sure a tube could go down her throat and into her chest etc. That's when the GI doc found this blockage. Anyway, in order to make a long story short the surgery took about 5 hours and we were suppose to be in the hospital for 4-5 days. In order to get out of the hospital, the drainage from her stomach needed to be clear and then she needed to eat, drink and keep food down. In the end, we were in the hospital for 14 days and Kendall not only recovered from surgery but she endured pnuemonia, a collapsed lung, got down to 18lbs(at 3 years old) and she wasn't able to eat or drink anything for about 10-12 days. Needless to say, I was a wreck during this time and I was also about 27 weeks pregnant with Brady. I just found something I posted to my mommy's board during this time. Here it is, I wrote it on day 8 at the hospital:

"You all, I can't do this anymore. Today Kendall was doing better. They decided to start her on a tiny dose of lipids(fat) through her IV. As I said earlier the nurse told me that the lipids could blow the IV and they did. With-in an hour after starting her lipids her arm and hand swelled up and the IV was shot. So the took her to try and do another IV. After 3 nurses tried and tried in her other hand and ankles(Feet) her nurse saw a horribly sad look in Kendalls eyes and brought her back and said I am so sorry we couldn't get an IV in her. The nurse had tears in her eyes because Kendall just looked at her like why is this all happening to me. I have never seen Kendall so beaten down.

I gave her a quick bath since she was unattached from everything and she hated her bath. She is skin and bones and still hasn't been allowed to eat or drink anything(day 8). The nurse called both her surgeon and GI dr and decided to do a Central Line which is a good thing because they can get blood from it as well. But I got scared since they had to put her under again and anesthesia makes your breathing worse and she already has pnuemonia but she did fine. The surgeon was the same sugeon that did her tummy surgery and he said he blew some air in her intestines to make sure the bypass they did was working and it was. I don't know why the drainage isn't getting lighter in the past 2 days. They think it's pnuemonia related but aren't sure. Surgeon said we just have to wait it out. She threw up after the Central Line and anesthesia tonight but otherwise is ok. The nurse told me today that if they don't start getting nutrients in her she will become at risk that is why they are doing lipids(2ccs an hour so very small amount).

I have now gone to the I should have never done this surgery place and what if she doesn't pull through this. I am sick to my stomach and can't stop crying. I just got home from the hospital as it's my night to sleep at home but all I want to do is be there and hold her and make her better. Why isn't her stomach drainage getting better. She has to eat soon. It's killing me and she signed milk to me for 2 hours tonight. I hate this I am miserable. Now I am going to try to go to bed. Please let her get better."

After all was said and done we got home and the surgery was one of the best things we have ever done for Kendall. She has never thrown up again from eating too much and she is now 31ish pounds and her growth(especially her height) has just been great. I mean she is always going to be petite that is just her but she looks so much healthier. She even has a very very tiny belly on her :) At the time, this was one of the hardest things I had ever done in my life, I mean no one ever imagines not being able to give their kid food or water for days on end as their kids signs repeatedly for them....that was the worst part for me. Now, you may all be wondering why I am bringing this all up. Last week when I picked Kendall up from school the teacher said to me, "Kendall is the biggest and best eater in this class!". Those words could not make me happier!!!!!!!

I don't have any pictures from that hospital stay because it was just too depressing and to top it off we were there over Valentine's Day. So a few days after we got home we celebrated Valentine's with Kendall. Here are a couple pictures from the day we celebrated with her, her smile and spirit were finally back :)