The Stomach Saga

After Cooper got sick as we got home from Cow Appreciation Day,

he did a lot of laying around with a tummy ache, bucket in hand.

That evening he asked if he could play a game. I assumed he meant on my phone or iPod. Nope, what he wanted was to play Daddy in a real live game of checkers.

By the next afternoon I thought he was improving, but by evening he was worse again. It was during that night that he was incoherently awake every 30-60 minutes all night. He would ask for a drink and not want it, he would ask for Mommy and Daddy even though we were right there.  He asked to please play a game on Daddy's electric guitar, and that he needed to wash his clothes. And once told us he needed to find that diamond and coin.  All while thrashing around crying that his tummy hurt.  And laying forward seemed like the most comfortable way for him to sleep.

The next morning he seemed improved again and we had a couple days without throwing up and he gained a little appetite back.  But on the day we were scheduled to go to our house for the final walk through, he threw up again and complained that his tummy hurt.  I took him along anyway thinking he would be distracted.  Bad plan...  Miles headed to the new backyard to play and Cooper laid on the floor inside crying that his tummy hurt so bad.  So I took him back home.

I'll spare you the pathetic, sad video I took in the next hour or so... but his screaming that his tummy hurt was enough to make me cry too.  I had called my friend who was supposed to have my boys for the baby-sitting co-op the next day and told her Cooper wasn't up to it.  She is a pediatric nurse and we talked about his symptoms while on the phone. (She could also hear him wailing in pain.) She was concerned it might be his appendix and I told her my Mommy sense had said this had gone on long enough and we decided it was time to head to the emergency room.  God's timing was perfect because even though she lives almost 30 minutes away, she was nearby when we talked and offered to come right over and get Miles so we could go.  We got checked into the ER and were waiting to see a doctor by about 7pm.

They put us in an ER room and we waited some more.

Soon we had been seen by a doctor, a nurse, a tech and a child life specialist.  They were all great with Cooper and I felt we got excellent care.  The nurse left her iPad for Coop to play with (After they did blood work and left the port in for an IV) and gave him a stuffed fox.

And after some wonderful pain meds right into his IV line,

we went upstairs for a sonogram.

Cooper fell asleep during that process, partly because it was way past bedtime and partly because of the pain medicine.  They ruled out his appendix as the problem but did notice swollen lymph nodes in his abdomen.  After several techs, doctors and radiologists compared notes, they diagnosed Cooper with Mesenteric Lymphadenitis.     

Unfortunately there isn't a lot they could do for him.  He was a little dehydrated from being sick so long though, so they pumped him full of fluids, prescribed anti-nausea meds and by 2am we were on our way home.... even though Cooper doesn't remember going home.

We all got a little sleep and the next morning, Cooper and I headed to fill his prescription.

He didn't handle being out very well though... so we hurried and then went to pick up Miles.

Speaking of Miles... 

 He was over at Lily and Evan's house playing and having a great time.

He even got in on the play day I'd tried to cancel on since Cooper was sick.

  

And he was SUPER excited when we got home and Cooper showed him the (very large) stash of stickers the ER doctor had given Cooper.

Cooper was slowly feeling better, but had good days and bad.

Heat seemed to help the pain, so he laid around with a warm corn bag.

And laying forward was still the most comfortable.

And I knew he wasn't feeling quite himself yet when he would just lay down on the floor near me.

We saw our family doctor on Monday, day ten of Cooper's sickness.  Our doctor is confidant Cooper got a correct diagnoses and we're on the right track.  We've had a couple good days now that Cooper has had a good appetite again and hasn't complained of pain.  The doctor did warn us that he could have a bad day every few days for the next couple of weeks, but so far this week has been good.  Cooper has even been able to attend VBS at church.  We're thanking Jesus for nothing more serious and that Cooper is feeling better.  He just needs a little time to mend.  And he seems to be feeling more like himself every day!