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OuchThatHurts
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I don't usually make many personal posts but this situation is one I thought you guys and gals would be interested in. Since he was around 5, my son has always had stomach pain "attacks". When his pediatrician and I discussed this even then, we thought it most likely spasms from anxiety due to a difficult divorce between his mother and I. In any case, kids get stomach aches right? What are you going to do? Nothing really too strange about it and it was something I (we) thought he'd grow out of. Well a few weeks ago, he had one that lasted for days. He woke me up in the middle of the night of the second day and by then I'd had enough. I took him in the next morning and told the pediatrician that I wanted EVERYTHING checked. Upper/lower GI series, ultrasound, bloodwork, basically the works. Well the ultrasound showed an inflamed gall bladder filled with stones and gravel. I signed the forms to have it removed and we were on our way.
Turns out that one of the tests (a HIDA scan) showed that it was infected and only functioning at 30%. All the more reason to get it out. The next day he was prepped and went under the laparoscope. Turns out, the gall bladder was infected and the infection had spread to part of his liver. He was barely able to remove it with the scope. This explains some of the bad liver values on his bloodwork and some yellowing of his skin as well.
Now the good news. He had to spend a few days in the hospital while being treated intravenously with antibiotics for the infection but he's already up and around and walking well and within a few weeks he will be alright. There was no liver damage and he's the same great kid as before minus a gall bladder which given his age will not likely be missed. So this kid is an honor roll student, the MVP of his baseball team, plus made the all-star team - all with a bad gall bladder and accompanying infections. He's literally going to feel better than he's ever known since it's likely that he's had this infection for years (it's all he knows). So all the signs of a compromised immune system (ongoing minor sinus infection, mild fever, etc.) will soon be gone along with the infection!
Anyway, within a month we will have a kid here who feels better and will perform better than he ever has. I'm thinking now that the weight has been lifted, next year he'll be accepted to MIT and get picked up by the Sox at 13 years!
Thought you guys would enjoy hearing this. I'm on cloud nine despite the fact that I was unable to correctly diagnose my own son and forced him to live with and be medicated for something that he never had... but who thinks a tween has gall stones? It almost never happens. Way to go, ultrasound technology!!! Yea!
Depite my self-depracation, I'm still happy that's it's all resolved.
Turns out that one of the tests (a HIDA scan) showed that it was infected and only functioning at 30%. All the more reason to get it out. The next day he was prepped and went under the laparoscope. Turns out, the gall bladder was infected and the infection had spread to part of his liver. He was barely able to remove it with the scope. This explains some of the bad liver values on his bloodwork and some yellowing of his skin as well.
Now the good news. He had to spend a few days in the hospital while being treated intravenously with antibiotics for the infection but he's already up and around and walking well and within a few weeks he will be alright. There was no liver damage and he's the same great kid as before minus a gall bladder which given his age will not likely be missed. So this kid is an honor roll student, the MVP of his baseball team, plus made the all-star team - all with a bad gall bladder and accompanying infections. He's literally going to feel better than he's ever known since it's likely that he's had this infection for years (it's all he knows). So all the signs of a compromised immune system (ongoing minor sinus infection, mild fever, etc.) will soon be gone along with the infection!
Anyway, within a month we will have a kid here who feels better and will perform better than he ever has. I'm thinking now that the weight has been lifted, next year he'll be accepted to MIT and get picked up by the Sox at 13 years!
Thought you guys would enjoy hearing this. I'm on cloud nine despite the fact that I was unable to correctly diagnose my own son and forced him to live with and be medicated for something that he never had... but who thinks a tween has gall stones? It almost never happens. Way to go, ultrasound technology!!! Yea!
Depite my self-depracation, I'm still happy that's it's all resolved.
