Monday, September 22, 2008

A night in the Emergency Room

Turns out that Jaxon's permanent marker escapades were not the worst thing he would put us through last week. Not even close.

My sister Miriam's daughter, Kiana, was getting baptized this weekend in Boise, so Daniel and I planned our trip up. We were really excited to spend time with Miriam and her family, and I was excited to spend time with my childhood best friend April, and her family as well. I have only seen her once in the last 3-4 years! So we drove up uneventfully (although we did end up leaving the morning after we planned because I am still no good at getting all of us ready and out the door in a timely fashion) and attended the Saturday afternoon baptism. Now, the only reason I am not spending more time on that important event is because that will be a separate blog in itself, once the pictures are ready.

Anyway, after the baptism, we went back to Miriam's house for dinner.


For brevity' sake, I will give you the reader's digest version. We were all staying up late talking, and when we decided to go to bed, I went to pick Jaxon up off the couch, where he was sleeping next to Dan. He was making weird noises, but I thought it was just because he was tired and mad that he wasn't in his own bed. He was crying and coughing, but it sounded off. My mom and sister both noticed and and asked if he had asthma, which he doesnt. After I had been watching him for a while (he was sleeping off and on, and would wake up and cry and cough again and again, with that weird sound), my mom came into the room and said she found her purse and that Jaxon had gotten into her chewing gum. We figured that must be stuck in his throat. We continued to watch him for a while, but since he seemed to be getting worse and worse, we decided we better get him in to the hospital before he could no longer breathe. We arrived at the hospital about 3am.

We ended up waiting in the ER, back in the room, for 3 hours, which at any time during, he could have stopped breathing, just to be told that the xray showed nothing (which they had told us it wouldnt since it was chewing gum) and that we had to go to their other campus, where he would need surgery.



When we arrived there about 7:00am, the doctor was ready and waiting, not wanting to wait any longer than necessary since it could dislodge at any moment and cut off his airway completely. The nurses tried pretty frantically to get an IV in, but couldnt get it for some reason. Jaxon was hysterical and I was crying, seeing him in pain from the IV issues and hearing the horrible noises he was making as he struggled to breathe. Finally, after a long while, they got an IV in and took us down the hall to prep him for surgery. He was crying and calling, "MOMMY! MOMMY!" as they took him away from me on the gurney, and it was so hard for me to let him go.


Daniel and I waited in the waiting room, but thankfully, it was a very short procedure. The doctor came in later on and told us that indeed, the gum had been stuck in his airway, and that she was able to locate it and remove it, and he was in the PICU, still asleep from the anesthesia.


Daniel and I went up to see him and called Miriam to bring over some clothes for him (he was just in a diaper when we rushed him out the door and to the hospital). He woke up not too long later, but had to stay for a while so they could monitor his oxygen sats and make sure his airway was not too traumatized to be able to breathe effectively. Thankfully, by about 11am, they told us he was getting better and we would be able to take him home.

After all of us being up all night, that sounded like a great idea. We went back to Miriam's house, thankful that we were blessed enough to have a positive outcome from something that could easily have been much, much worse.


I fell asleep on the couch, and woke up to Jaxon laying on top of me (I didnt even know he had climbed onto me) and a few pictures of that were on my camera :)







After getting something to eat and taking it easy for a few, we drove home.



I grabbed my camera this morning to take a few pictures of my sweet, happy, healthy little boy, but instead I got pictures of Jaxon back to his usual self

Climbing cupboards



Throwing a fit when he couldn't get up them

And begging for food

Today everything is pretty much back to normal, except I am a little tired, and a lot more appreciative of my little boy, mischief and all. Today I skipped making the bed and instead, got on the floor with my tough guy and wrestled around. And those little, big, and most often unfixable messes of his didn't seem so life altering. Today at least, they are just reminders that he is here, that he is okay, and that all too soon, he won't be little any more.

19 comments:

Adventures in Healing said...

awww. That must have been awful. I have thought before that, as hard as it was to see Keller go through so many i.v.s and other procedures at such a young age, I was grateful that I didn't have to also listen to him cry my name. I think that would jsut make it so much harder. That Jaxon just always wants to keep you on your toes. I'm glad it all worked out okay- and I'm glad you thought to take him in!

Pam said...

Oh my goodness! I am so glad that he is okay! I can't even imagine hearing one of my girls calling for me and them being wheeled away... Wow. It really does give you perspective when something like this happens. Been there, NEVER wanna do that again. Glad Jax is doing well and back to his normal self...

Morgan said...

I am so glad he is okay!! Images are still fresh for me so that post was hard to read. I am glad that you all are doing fine now and that he is back to his happy self.

Sidenote: I am so jealous that he is dressed in a cute hoodie. We are still sweating down here.

Another sidenote: I think we have that same couch you were sleeping on.

Alida B. said...

How incredibly scary!! I am so glad that you had a great outcome though. It's moments like these that make me remember to hug my kids a little tighter each day. Thanks for the reminder. :)

Brittany said...

Oh my goodness! My heart is in my throat. I am so grateful he's alright. And that you made it through!!!! Thanks for the reminder. My kids get an extra love from me tonight.

Our Family said...

I can't believe it. That is so scary. I never knew gum could get stuck in your airways. I am glad he is okay and good reminder for me that these days past by quickly and we do need to take advantage of them.

Sariah said...

Wow! I'm so glad he's okay! How scary!!! *hugs*

Lissagerl said...

Scary!! I'm so glad everything turned out ok! Aren't 2 year olds fun? I was also in the ER last week with Brekan after I thought he took some Tylenol. Luckily he hadn't.

Kmelanese said...

I can't believe that! I am glad he is okay! I would have been bawling too especially when he was crying for you. Good he's back to his old self again!

sarahbclark! said...

oh my GOSH! i can't imagine how scary that was. i'm so glad he's ok and that you were able to get him in to the hospital before something worse happened.

Anonymous said...

So scary! I am so glad he is okay. I'm sure that was very hard, knowing your child needed help,and having to let them take him away without you.

Mel Bernard said...

How scary.... what our kids put us through huh?? I am glad that everything is ok

Stephanie said...

So scary! I'm so glad that he is okay!

Marnie said...

Poor, little Jaxon. I am so glad that everything turned out ok. Sometimes I think that things like this are harder on the mommies than the kiddos. Glad to see that he is back to normal.

Jeff and April said...

Hey- I am so glad you guys made it home okay. What a draining weekend- physically and emotionally! I hope you are recovered- since he seems to be just fine now! It sure was fun getting to talk to you though. You are a good little momma.

Tatiana said...

Poor kiddo! I'm so glad he's back to his "old self" again!

~*Jen*~ said...

Wow wow wow! How SCARY! I'm glad he's rebounded from this situation. It's such a blessing to have healthy children! Catch up on that rest!!!

~Aimee~ said...

Ahh! Crazy little man! How sad and scary for all of you. I'm glad it turned out okay for you all. Goodness gracious!

BRIAN~KANDICE~ALI~ALYSSA said...

good ess. You hav eme in tears. I couldnt imagine. I know it's somethign so illy but so scary. I'm glad everything came out ok in the end. That wil be something to tell the future girlfrineds as an embarrings moment.