A Tough Week

Whew. What a whirlwind of a week. Last Saturday, after a bout with a little cold, I noticed the previously diagnosed cyst on Ben's neck was larger, and the skin around it inflamed, and swollen. So, I immediately called his pediatrician, and he got us in that day. He diagnosed it as a brancial cleft cyst. He said it was abcessed, and needed to come out right away. We got he name of a good ENT surgeon, and he sent us on our way.

Unfortunately, it took us two days and yet another referral to get seen by a surgeon. Wednesday morning, I took Holly and Ben in to the office, and Dr. Riddle checked him out. Upon examination, he agreed with the pediatrician, and decided to admit Ben for a CT Scan, and surgery the next day.

Once getting settled, the nursing team attempted to start an IV line, and due to dehydration and reactive veins, they were unsuccessful. They poked him three times and decided to leave him be until the pediatric anesthesiologist team could get to him. When they were able to come up, they gave him something up his nose to make him drowsy and assured me that he would be too loopy to care about getting an IV, and he wouldn't remember it. Well, not so much. I heard him screaming from across the hall, and behind two doors. I literally had to leave the hallway, and find a bathroom so that I wouldn't throw up on the floor. Luckily, Ted was brave enough to stay with him. After they finally got the IV line in, he was so exhausted and spent he laid perfectly still for the CT and they didn't have to sedate him. After fitful night's sleep he was wheeled into surgery at 7 am the next day.

Here he is, slightly awake after being wheeled back from recovery:
Then he slept:
As soon as the nurses got his cords situated, and he seemed to be stable enough, they let me hold him. He woke up briefly for a couple pictures.
After sleeping off the general anesthesia, he began to wake up, and Daddy got him to smile.
And, after two hours of waking, and keeping down some jello and juice, he was able to go home. They don't wheel kids out in wheelchairs. They roll them down in little red wagons! Ben got a kick out this!
When he got into the car, he asked me if we were going to see another doctor, with tears in his eyes. I started to cry , and said "No baby, we're done with doctors." He nodded his head, and said "Good."

Little Ben was so charming. Everyone loved him. All the nurses said they wished he could stay longer, but were so glad he was better.

And I, as his mother, feel like I could sleep for a week. There is nothing more painful than watching your child be put through pain. I would take his place in a heartbeat if I could. While it was a scary experience, I am so grateful for the wonderful, proactive doctors in our area. They took such good care of him, and were so kind and sweet with him.

Ben is home, and seems to be recovering well. He's eating, and my biggest worry now is keeping him down so that he doesn't overdo it! I am so thankful to Heavenly Father for providing us comfort, and being with our boy during surgery, and his doctors as well. Here's to hoping this is the last major health hurdle with Ben, he's had more than his fair share in his short life.