Jinx no rebounds...you owe me a Coke...or a Diet Coke...or my summer back!
Well I'm not really blaming the law of the Jinx for Chris' latest hospitalization. Last Saturday we drove our booties back to the hospital in Peoria under the advice of his surgeon. He was not doing well, pain again, vomiting, and shortly after we got to the ER he started running a high fever. CRAP...basically this is starting all over again! His drain had fallen out a few days before and the doctor told us this could happen...fluid collecting again in his abdomen. CRAP!
He was admitted and had a CT scan within hours. Next day his surgeon comes in and gives us the news...he has what they think is an infection on his pancreas. There are two options. If it turns out that there is not infection they will do an ERCP surgery and place a stent in his pancreatic duct to help the flow of that nasty fluid to make it where it should be. The other option is if it is severely infected they will have to open him up, clean out the infected tissue and parts of his pancreas, and leave him open to heal from the inside out...OPEN...like no stitches, nurses and doctors can see his guts, laying still for weeks/months and spending 2-3 months in the hospital to heal.
Needless to say tears flowed. I have healed from the inside out (not this extensively) and it is not fun! His doctor recommended I plan on having my baby at St. Francis so that we have a shot at Chris being able to be "close" when it happens...all our plans gone again.
So we prayed. We prayed as a couple, we prayed as a family, friends prayed, family prayed, strangers prayed.
Yesterday he had an ERCP. They decided that trying this less invasive procedure first would be the best route. Last night as I sat and listened to the doctor telling us the results I have never felt relief like this before in my life. They found the reason why he got pancreatitis in the first place! He has a condition called Pancreatic Divisum. Basically his pancreatic ducts didn't form correctly, and it's a birth defect. They placed a stent and did some cutting to open up the duct that was too narrow and he should be able to heal completely! There may be more stent placement in the future but they are quick procedures. He will have a lot of monitoring for the next little while which is good so we can make sure the stent is doing it's job. He will also have to be on antibiotics to clear up the infection that is in his pancreas.
This is amazing news! Before we just thought that it was something that "just happened" and we would never know what triggered it or if it would come back again or ever even clear up at all. Now we have a reason, and a plan, and dare I say, a solution!
He was admitted and had a CT scan within hours. Next day his surgeon comes in and gives us the news...he has what they think is an infection on his pancreas. There are two options. If it turns out that there is not infection they will do an ERCP surgery and place a stent in his pancreatic duct to help the flow of that nasty fluid to make it where it should be. The other option is if it is severely infected they will have to open him up, clean out the infected tissue and parts of his pancreas, and leave him open to heal from the inside out...OPEN...like no stitches, nurses and doctors can see his guts, laying still for weeks/months and spending 2-3 months in the hospital to heal.
Needless to say tears flowed. I have healed from the inside out (not this extensively) and it is not fun! His doctor recommended I plan on having my baby at St. Francis so that we have a shot at Chris being able to be "close" when it happens...all our plans gone again.
So we prayed. We prayed as a couple, we prayed as a family, friends prayed, family prayed, strangers prayed.
Yesterday he had an ERCP. They decided that trying this less invasive procedure first would be the best route. Last night as I sat and listened to the doctor telling us the results I have never felt relief like this before in my life. They found the reason why he got pancreatitis in the first place! He has a condition called Pancreatic Divisum. Basically his pancreatic ducts didn't form correctly, and it's a birth defect. They placed a stent and did some cutting to open up the duct that was too narrow and he should be able to heal completely! There may be more stent placement in the future but they are quick procedures. He will have a lot of monitoring for the next little while which is good so we can make sure the stent is doing it's job. He will also have to be on antibiotics to clear up the infection that is in his pancreas.
This is amazing news! Before we just thought that it was something that "just happened" and we would never know what triggered it or if it would come back again or ever even clear up at all. Now we have a reason, and a plan, and dare I say, a solution!
Comments