Forty minutes later, the school called to say that Amy wasn’t feeling great. Her stomach hurt and she had just thrown up. Fortunately for her, she had made it to the nurse’s station. The staff was impressed that she had even thrown up in a garbage can. I brought her home, and she threw up a couple of times more during the day and then throughout the night. It seemed as though she was suffering from the stomach flu even though she had this intense pain across her lower stomach. I called the doctor’s office here in Firestone, and the nurse said that her symptoms sounded like the flu that was going around.
OK. So it’s the flu. But why can’t she walk, or stand up straight, or sit up on her own? I called the clinic in Longmont and tried to get an appointment and asked to speak with a nurse again. And again, they reassured me that Amy’s symptoms sounded so much like the flu that was going around.
I finally was able to schedule an appointment for Friday the 9th. She woke up Friday morning feeling and acting fine. So, I cancelled the appointment. The pain came back, most severely when she had to go to the bathroom. She would get up from going to the bathroom, and while still hunched over because it hurt so bad, repeat over and over, “lightning, lightning…” Poor thing.
On Tuesday, I was finally able to schedule a second appointment for Amy with Dr. Flanagan at the Firestone/Longmont clinic. They asked about her history and I gave about as much as I could. She was feeling fine right about then so didn’t have a lot of pain when the doctor pressed on her tummy. She also gave a urine sample which came back negative for urinary tract infection but showed that there were white blood cells in her urine. The sample was sent off for a culture to determine what might be wrong.
On Wednesday, Amy came home from school and one look at her told me she wasn’t feel any better. It has been my experience that if an antibiotic is going to make you feel better, it will begin to work within hours of taking it. Amy was feeling worse and the pain was radiating up into her tummy. Plus she now had diarrhea and had an accident at school.
I called the doctor’s office and left a message that the antibiotics didn’t seem to be working. I talked with the nurse who said she would let Dr. Flanagan know. He didn’t call back until later that evening while I was helping with the Relief Society birthday party dinner. Chris was invited with me and Cindy Molloy was watching the girls. I told him that this was natural with the antibiotics and that they can take 24 to 48 hours to be effective. I appreciated him calling me back, but I also had the feeling that it was condescending for him to have to reassure me.
By Friday, the pain persisted insomuch that she was not eating much and would put off going to the bathroom because it hurt so much. I tried most of the afternoon to get an appointment for Amy, but either the offices were closed or the doctors were booked. Finally I was able to talk to a receptionist who offered help. She told me that if I were to call the Longmont Clinic on Saturday morning and ask for the On-Call Family Physician as close to 8 am as possible, I could get an appointment that morning between 8 am and 12 noon.
So Saturday morning, I called at 8 am and they weren’t answering yet. I called a few minutes later and was able to get through and scheduled an appointment for 10:30 am. You can bet I wasn’t canceling this one. Chris had taken Amy and Misha to the Pinewood Derby at the Longmont 11th Avenue building, so I planned to meet him at the clinic at 10:30. We were both early but got right in. So we gave the nurse a mini version of the previous two weeks with Amy and then went in to much more detail with Dr. Britt. I don’t believe he knew any better than any of the other doctors what was wrong with Amy, but he either knew we weren’t leaving without some kind of answer, or he thought he would do the right thing and order labs on a little girl who had been so sick for two weeks.
You can bet your life that Amy was NOT thrilled about the idea of getting a shot in the arm. If she only knew what was to come, she would have run from that clinic and never come back. We were then supposed to go to x-ray, but while we were at the lab, Dr. Britt had been able to secure a spot for us in ultrasound over at the hospital. Amy was so brave, and even though she didn’t like the shot, she admitted that it was only a poke and not as bad as a flu shot.
We walked over to the hospital across the street and entered through the Emergency entrance. Sam, a very thoughtful lady, helped to register Amy for the ultrasound. We waited for a short while and then Amy and I headed back to the ultrasound room. Chris waited with Kristen and Misha in the waiting area. I reassured Amy that an ultrasound wouldn’t hurt a bit and she was ok with that. She laid on the bed and cranked her neck backward to see the ultrasound screen. After a short while, I asked if the technician was able to see anything. I couldn’t sort any of the images out myself. She told me that she wasn’t able to share results, the doctors would do that. Then she seemed to change her mind and said that she wasn’t able to see the appendix (that is what she was supposed to be looking at), instead there was a large mass close to the bladder that wasn’t supposed to be there. After taking measurements, she went to have the doctor check the ultrasound and speak with us. Dr. Lamorray pretty much reiterated what the tech said, however, emphasizing that the mass was not supposed to be there. She was going to call Dr. Britt and recommend to him that a CAT scan be done to give further definition.
We made it through ultrasound without too much pain or trouble. The CAT scan was an entirely different story. But first, we didn’t realize that we had to register again for the CAT scan—Sam the receptionist—wasn’t at her desk. We waited for about 20 minutes and then Amy pushed the button on the wall to summon someone from the bowels of Imaging. They hadn’t even realized we were waiting. Sam came back to the desk, registered us, and we waited more. Chris took the other two to the cafeteria for lunch and we still hadn’t gone in for the CAT scan by the time they got back.
Finally we were taken back for the CAT scan. The technician must have been a coffee drinker; his breath smelled awful. The first indignity was asking Amy to disrobe and put on a hospital gown. She wasn’t too sure about that. I made sure all of the ties were tied and that she was completely covered. Once we got into the room, Amy laid down on the narrow bed that lay in front of a donut-shaped machine. Then the tech pulls up a tray and proceeds to tell us that he needs to start an IV. What? I think I was as shocked as Amy, and then my heart broke for her as he tried and failed twice. She screamed. He called Dr. Lamorray and they started plan B—an enema. My poor little girl. Hurt. Humiliated. Frightened. And my heart couldn’t take much more as she pleaded, “No more. No more.” Finally the test was complete, and he began to drain the liquid from her bottom. She was terrified that she would poop right there on the table. I finally got her into the bathroom and even though I knew she had to go to the bathroom, she didn’t want to because of the pain.
We left the imaging room and went back to the dressing room. As we walked out into the hallway, Chris was standing at the far end waiting for us. He was probably in agony as he could hear his little girl screaming all the way out into the waiting room. We both walked down the hall crying. He came toward us and picked up Amy. I knew the “not knowing” was just as hard on him. This was about 1:45 pm. We had started this process at 10:30 am, and it was just getting going.
Amy had a birthday party that was beginning at 2 pm for one of her classmates. I looked at my watch and realized I needed to let them know she wasn’t coming. I had talked to the mom, Natalee, earlier in the week to RSVP for Amy and now, near tears, I called to tell her that Amy wouldn’t be coming, that she had just finished a CAT scan and that we still didn’t know what was wrong with her-though there definitely was something.
As I walked back toward my family, Chris had asked for a warmed blanket and had wrapped Amy in it. She rested her head against his shoulder and looked worse by the minute. Dr. Lamorray came out to where we were waiting. Because it was a Saturday, the waiting room was quiet. Kristen lay sleeping in her stroller. Dr. Lamorray simply said that Dr. Britt was on his way over to speak with us and should be there shortly.
Chris had already started calling family to let them know that Amy was very ill, though we still weren’t quite sure what the problem was. I knew that I couldn’t make it through a single phone call to let my family know, so I asked if he would call Brad and have Brad let everyone else know.
Dr. Britt looked tired when he sat down, and I am sure being the bearer of bad news never brings a good feeling to one’s heart. He said that it looked as though Amy had a ruptured appendix and that a large mass of pus had formed into an abscess close to her bladder. She was being admitted immediately and the surgeon was on his way in. Once again, Sam registered us. She knew enough this time that she simply filled out the paperwork and brought it over for us to sign, along with a wheelchair.
We only had to go down the hall and to the right to reach pediatrics. There Amy was put into a hospital gown and an IV was attempted for the third time. It really didn’t go in so well, but they decided that fluid was getting through, so they would leave it. By this time, Chris had called Tasha Wasden and asked if she would come pick up Kristen and Misha and take them back to her house. He called Chris LeBaron and asked if he would come help give Amy a blessing. Chris arrived shortly after Amy was settled in to bed and helped to calm her as the IV was given. What a blessing that he arrived so quickly.
I glimpsed the surgeon walk by our room in his cowboy boots and leather jacket, not even thinking he was the surgeon. The nurse prepped us by saying that he was an excellent surgeon but that some people found his bedside manner abrupt. Basically he said that Amy was very sick. It appeared as though she had a ruptured appendix but that he did not want to operate on her. He wanted to transfer her to The Children’s Hospital in Denver immediately and let them care for her. He said that small children were so different than adults when it came to treating them and he would rather have experts working on our daughter. I appreciated his frankness, but also felt as though I was in a whirlwind that wasn’t slowing down, in fact, with each passing moment it seemed to gain momentum. I was feeling so out of control.
The doctors and nurses left the room, Chris telling the nurse that he wanted to give Amy a blessing. It didn’t seem as though she thought that was an unusual request and gave us a few minutes of privacy. Chris offered a prayer and then asked Chris LeBaron if he would mind giving the blessing because he didn’t think he would be able to get through it.
The blessing was so powerful. What I remember of it was that angels would be with Amy throughout this process. They would watch over her and the doctors and nurses and they would bring comfort and peace. She was blessed that she would be healed but that it would take time with the necessary medical procedures required to heal her. She was told that this experience would be a foundation for her testimony throughout her life and that she would know that Heavenly Father was real and that He loved her, that her Savior was real and had atoned for her. So powerful.
Chris LeBaron asked if there was anything else he could do for us. Chris asked if he wouldn’t mind getting me something to eat. I had been lying next to Amy on her bed, holding her hand, but suddenly felt that I needed to leave the room. I walked out into the hallway, noticed a worker and asked where the bathroom was. I was hugging myself tightly and beginning to shiver and my teeth were chattering. I told her I needed a warm blanket. I could tell that I was going into shock. I returned to Amy’s room from the bathroom but would not go in. I didn’t want her to see me in shock and scare her even more. I leaned up against the wall, shivering uncontrollably and probably looked as though I was going to pass out. Chris saw what was happening and came out and immediately took control, telling them I was going in to shock and needed help.
The nurses immediately pulled the chair/bed out for me and had me lay down. They wrapped me in blankets and took my vitals. I struggled to stay in control. I tried to control my breathing and shivering and could feel my lips tingling. The nurse brought me some Gatorade to drink since I had little to eat since breakfast. I finally was able to calm my breathing, but I don’t think the shivering stopped much throughout the rest of the day. Chris LeBaron returned with food and was probably a little shocked himself to walk into the room and see me bundled in numerous blankets, lying on the fold-out bed.
The nurse, Renee, informed us that a transfer crew was on its way to take us to The Children’s Hospital. I began thinking to myself, “When is this going to end? This is so unreal.” It took longer than we thought for the transfer crew to arrive but finally they were there with their wheeled bed and began to prepare Amy for transfer.
Sadly, it was determined that a fourth attempt should be made on an IV. The male nurse onboard was preparing for it just as we were about to leave. Since I was required to sit in the front seat, Amy asked if I could come back and hold her hand. Chris had been waiting for us to leave and came out to see what was happening. I climbed into the back of the ambulance and watched as Amy was poked again. How much more of this can either of us take? Her vein collapsed and the nurse decided it wasn’t worth trying again.
It took about 45 minutes to get to the hospital. Contrary to popular belief, ambulances don’t always go fast and most often stay within the speed limit. Amy slept a little bit on the way, but finally we arrived. She was taken to room 11 in the Emergency Room. I was somewhat surprised that the nurse pretty much ignored me. I had to ask her what her name was, and maybe it is because of that that I don’t remember it.
People began to come in and out of the room. Fortunately, though small, it had a door to close and a tv that Amy could watch. We had nurses and registrars come by, members of the surgical team, a patient advocate, more nurses. I couldn’t remember all of their names. The doctors and nurses at Longmont United had told us that Amy’s stay could be between two and three weeks and that Amy would likely be operated on as soon as we arrived. That didn’t happen.
When the surgeons came in to talk to me the first time (Chris hadn’t arrived yet as he had gone home to pack for us as well as for Kristen and Misha who would be spending the night at Wasdens), they explained that they would not be operating on Amy. Amy’s condition was somewhat unique in that when her appendix ruptured, the pus and foreign matter had formed an abscess. They find that in this type of situation, it is better to begin treatment with antibiotics and try to reduce the size of the abscess and remove all of the infection before trying to remove the appendix. The potential for damage to other vital organs and systems is lessened if we wait.
Chris finally arrived with a suitcase in tow. He had packed clothes, makeup, computer. We thought we were settling in for a week or longer stay. Once he arrived, he suggested that I go get something to eat at the cafeteria. I willingly complied and spent a few moments trying to collect my thoughts and feelings over a bowl of chicken and rice soup. As I returned to Amy’s room, members of the surgical team were explaining what was going to happen over the course of the next few days. They reiterated the plan for massive amounts of antibiotics to begin the healing process. Chris’ phone never stopped ringing and he stepped out into the hall to take a call. The surgical team stepped out and two new nurses came in.
Amy complained that the IV in her arm was hurting. It was determined that it wasn’t very effective any longer. Sadly the nurses were there to start another IV, and Amy was becoming hysterical. Her fifth IV was attempted in her hand, but no luck. She screamed some more. Any time they put the needle in to her vein, it collapsed. Right between the 5th and 6th IV’s, a security guard stepped in to our room to tell us that we had visitors waiting for us in the waiting room. Visitors? Are you sure? I couldn’t leave Amy and told him to talk to Chris out in the hall. I immediately knew that it was Jim and Angela Miller.
Finally, the nurses decided to try the IV in the bend of Amy’s elbow. Amy was getting smart though. The nurse would say, we’ll give you a moment to rest and then start again when you are ready. Amy would reply, “I’m not going to be ready.” She continued to say, “Please, no more. No more. My stomach doesn’t hurt anymore. I feel better. Please, no more.” Just as she began to be more agitated the nurse was successful at last. I watched as the sixth and final IV just slipped right in as Amy was becoming more and more hysterical. It was a miracle. Thank heaven. But you can’t imagine how worn out both of us were from this ordeal. When they went to remove the first partially successful IV from Amy’s hand, they looked in amazement as most of the tiny tube was laying on her skin. No wonder it hurt! No wonder it wasn’t working!
Chris returned to the room about this time and asked if I wanted to take a break and go out to the waiting room with Millers. Now that Amy was stable, resting comfortably, watching tv and getting a nourishing sugar solution, without pain, I felt as though I could leave. As I left the room, I could feel my body beginning to shiver once again. I tried hard to stay in control. I walked into the chaos of the waiting room and quickly looked around for Jim and Angela. They immediately saw me and started walking toward me. Angela enfolded me in her arms and finally I could let myself go. I didn’t know how much I needed them until they were there. And they were intuitive enough and kind enough to drive for an hour because Angela could hear in my voice that I wasn’t doing okay. Such wonderful people. I love them both.
Jim went to Amy’s room to sit with Chris while Angela and I talked in the waiting room. I was shivering. She asked for a blanket and they gave her a sheet to wrap me in. I was still cold so she went back and asked for a blanket. I probably looked ridiculous sitting there but I was somewhat warmer. I learned at that moment that I need to do more for people. Angela had been down the previous couple of weeks with a sinus operation and then a D&C. I didn’t know she had had the D&C but I showed up at her house the afternoon after it was done with rolls and cookies. Unfortunately I couldn’t stay very long because I had the girls in the van, and of course, Amy was not feeling well then.
So we talked in the waiting room for maybe 30 to 45 minutes. I began to feel the need to get back to Amy and see how she was doing. I had the recharge I needed and could carry on. They promised to wait until she was settled in her room. We were afraid upon arrival that that wouldn’t happen very quickly because there had been another little boy in the ER who had been waiting for a bed for 28 hours. We were lucky, or maybe, Amy was sick enough that she was headed upstairs into her own room by 9:45 pm. What a long day.
We began to get Amy settled and had a small tour of the floor—towels, gowns, fridge, parent lounge, play room. Amy wasn’t done for the night however, they started her immediately on antibiotics, took vitals, and tried to help us be comfortable. The sleeping situation for Chris and I looked bleak. There was a window bench with semi-comfortable cushions that could be slept on and a rocking chair that reclined. Chris was able to keep it somewhat flat with his larger body, but I felt like I had to stay tense just to keep from being catapulted out of the darn thing.
Jim and Angela stayed for a little while as we were getting settled. They had brought a sack of snacks and food for our stay. So thoughtful. They have been through hospital stays enough to know that you need some extras. Before they left, Jim and Chris gave me a blessing—a blessing of peace and comfort—so that I could be strong for Amy the next days, weeks, or however long it would take. We were so grateful for them. After they left, Chris headed out to find a Wal-mart or Target to find some slippers for Amy and breakfast type foods for him and I.
Amy was so wound up from the day that she didn’t fall asleep until after the final dose of antibiotics at midnight. She had a small tv on a moveable arm that would pull down in front of her face to watch in bed. Chris had brought my mp3 player and earphones. So I got the earphones out for her so that I could at least doze without the tv as background noise. Chris got back just after Amy went to sleep and he and I fell into an exhausted (though hardly comfortable) sleep.
Sunday morning dawned early as Chris’ Dad called on the cell phone at 6 am. We didn’t answer, but all of us were now awake. Amy was already feeling so much better. She could go to the bathroom without doubling over in pain and walk without too much difficulty (there has to be some degree of difficulty if you are pulling an IV pole along with you).
The day was pretty quiet for all of us. Chris planned to stay until around 4 pm and then head home to pick up the girls. Amy rested in bed for most of the morning, but by the afternoon was energized enough to go play in the playroom. Chris kindly let me stay in the room to rest and with laptop in hand, followed Amy to the playroom. She had a fabulous time making crafts and coloring—Amy heaven. It was pretty busy, but probably fairly normal for a Sunday afternoon of visiting family. She spied the video games and made plans to play on Monday.
Chris left as planned and headed to Wasden’s to pick up Misha and Kristen. They were just eating dinner when he arrived and invited him to stay. They were so complimentary towards our girls. Ben said that they couldn’t have had two easier kids to babysit. Kristen snuggled into his shoulder when he arrived, I am sure that she feared being left again. Chris then handed Kristen to Tasha while he ate, and she fell asleep in Tasha’s arms.
I must admit, I missed my girls. I knew that Misha would be fine. In fact, she had a fantastic time sleeping over with Jonah. Though she did tell Tasha that she wasn’t supposed to sleep with a boy until she was married. Kristen, I knew, would be so out of sorts and wondering where her mommy was. After dinner with Wasdens, Chris brought the girls home and gave them baths.
Wycoffs had brought over a dessert plate shortly after Chris arrived home. While Chris was helping Misha get settled, Kristen found the dessert and started to dig in. When Chris found her, she was sitting on the kitchen floor enjoying herself immensely.
Amy’s schedule was all whacked out. She was up late and watching tv. But who could blame her when nurses were in and out and her IV machine kept beeping from the antibiotics that were being pushed. She finally went to sleep about 10 pm as did I. But it was not a restful sleep. Her nurse the previous night was able to draw blood through the IV without even waking Amy up. This night, a different nurse put the elastic tubing on Amy’s arm to try and draw the blood and Yeow! Amy was immediately awake and crying.
I lay down beside her and asked the nurse if she could try it without the tubing. Success. But now, Amy was awake and not wanting to go back to sleep. So she turned the tv on for an hour. I, on the other hand, was exhausted. I dozed for awhile and then had Amy turn the tv off and go back to sleep.
By Monday morning, Amy was doing so much better. She was up and about. Her limitations were mostly from the IV in her arm and the splint to keep her arm straight. Fortunately, the IV was in her left arm so she could still color and play.
Chris arrived late in the afternoon with Misha and Kristen in tow. He had waited for Kristen to have a good nap and then stopped at Granite Depot to order the counter top for our wet bar. Before Chris arrived at the hospital around 5 pm, Bishop Wilson stopped in for a visit. He brought a beautiful figurine of Christ with two children for Amy. It will a wonderful remembrance of this experience and how the Lord has helped her through it. Chris and the bishop talked while I took the girls to the play room. Amy had talked so much about the play room that Misha was raring to go from the moment she arrived. We pulled the girls away from the play room for dinner around 6 pm. Amy’s food arrived and we headed down to the cafeteria to find food for the rest of us. Her room wasn’t very accommodating for tables and chairs but we managed to squish ourselves back in.
We let the girls play a little more in the play room and then left shortly after 7 pm. Chris and I were both worried that I would have a hard time finding my way home, but I made it without any difficulty. I think it was that same night that I was talking to Chris after we had arrived home and the girls were not yet in bed. I could hear Kristen playing in the bathroom with the little training potty and went to investigate. She had taken the removable potty out (the part that gets peed in and is then easily dumped in the toilet) and was dipping it in the toilet. And then she was drinking the water. Aaaaaagh! When I went in she looked at me and said, “Mmmmm, tasty. Tasty.” That was good for a laugh.
Tuesday morning Amy had her picc (Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter) line inserted. She was worried about more needles but was lucky this time because they gave her something through her IV that made her sleep through the entire procedure. I was at home and Chris was with Amy. I called around noon, and she was just coming to in recovery. She got to ride in a wagon. Chris put the phone up to her ear and she said, “Hiiiiiiiiiiiiii, Mooooooooommmmmm.” She sounded so funny. Later she said to Chris, “I don’t think I was very drunk.”
We had hoped they would be able to complete the CAT scan earlier in the day, I was waiting around here to find out the results so that I would know how long our stay at the hospital was going to be. Since I would be going back to the hospital to stay for a couple of days, there were things I wanted to bring to make the stay more comfortable. Imaging didn’t bring the CAT juice until almost 8 pm and her CAT scan was scheduled for 9 pm. So I was home for another night with Kristen and Misha. Misha was sad because she was looking forward to playing in the Play Room again.
The results from the scan came back about the same. The mass was still there and there was another one closer to her rectum. However, they felt that she could continue her antibiotics just as easily at home with Chris and I administering them twice a day.
On Wednesday morning, I dropped Kristen off at Millers, picked Misha up from school and headed back to the hospital. Amy was to be released today. Amazing since we thought we were settling in for a two to three week stay. Misha and I arrived at lunch time. The nurses gave Amy a lunch pass for the cafeteria, and we headed down. She was no longer on the IV continuously and was allowed a lot greater mobility. You wouldn’t know how sick she was just by looking at her. The antibiotics had done a miraculous job in healing Amy.
Misha was simply excited to be back at the play room in the hospital. She and Amy played while Chris and I were instructed on how to deliver antibiotics through Amy’s picc line. I was not feeling comfortable about having to do this, knowing that the risk of infection was great as the picc line was a direct line to Amy’s heart. We must have passed the test though, since they released Amy around 3 pm and we were on our way home. We stopped at Wal-mart to pick up some pain reliever and stool softener. Lucky her. We continued on to Mead to pick up Kristen at Miller’s. Angela was so thoughtful and made dinner for us as well. Kristen was pretty good until it came time for her to have a nap, and then that never really happened. I found out later when talking to Jenny Martin that Angela still wasn’t feeling well, and I felt bad about imposing on her for the afternoon.
That evening, a nurse from Coram Health Care arrived to show us how to administer Amy’s antibiotics through her picc line. Earlier in the evening, health supplies-syringes, antibiotics, heparin, saline solution, etc.-had been delivered. I was very nervous about the whole idea of doing this myself. Especially knowing that the picc was a direct line to Amy’s heart and we had to maintain a high level of cleanliness and sterility. The nurse performed the entire procedure while we watch. Then, the next morning, another nurse came and watched as we gave the antibiotics to Amy.
Over the next two weeks, we continued the twice-a-day regimen. We had initially hoped that we would be able to stop after our first doctor visit with Dr. Bealer, but he had us continue for an additional week. One of the nurses had to come back and change Amy’s dressing during that time. That was very painful for Amy as the nurse swabbed the area with alcohol and Amy had to hold still the entire time. She held on to my hand and squeezed it through the pain.
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