About 6 weeks ago Preston had to have his appendix out. I didn't really know what was going on at first. Preston woke up at about 5 am crying. For Preston this is actually very normal, so I didn't think anything was wrong. But he did start to complain about his stomach hurting him. I remembered that the day before I had made a full batch of cookie dough that I had put in the fridge and when I went to make cookies a few hours later I noticed that almost the entire bowl of cookie dough was gone, and later that night he refused to eat any dinner because he was full of cookie dough. I reminded him of what had happened and I figured that his stomach hurt because of the cookie dough overdose.
Preston can be a very dramatic boy everyday so trying to distinguish between a really sick Preston and just a I didn't get enough sleep Preston can be very difficult. In the past when Preston is sick and in pain I make him take a nap and he will usually sleep for several hours and wake up better. Not the case this time. He laid on the couch and slept but it was with constant moaning for an entire hour. He then went up to go potty and he could barely walk. I just didn't know what to do. After talking to Matt about it, he brought up that maybe it was appendicitis. I still wasn't sure. It was noon and I didn't know if I should take him to the doctor and then have them send me home because it was a stomach ache or constipation or something else very minimal, because I have been known to do that too. I finally did what I should have done in the first place. I got on my knees and prayed. After I said a prayer it was odd. I honestly felt like something had taken over me. I immediately picked up my phone called the doctor, and right after that with no thought I called our neighbor and asked to drop Porter off. I got kids in the car and went. Usually getting in the car takes several minutes. We are talking 20-30. But we were on our way in little time.
The Doctor sent us to the hospital. Preston was great at the doctors and even on our way to the hospital he asked if he could have some Ice Cream to make the pain better. But as soon as we walked into the hospital and they put a bracelet on him he went crazy. He was so out of control that the nurse became irate with me. I started crying because of her unprofessional and very inappropriate comments and the whole situation just elevated. Robes were being thrown, words were said, and Preston was still stubborn and refusing to do anything the nurse said.Finally, Matt came and calmed us all down.
I don't think that I have ever had my mothering instincts kick in more than I had that afternoon. I felt like because I could not fix Preston's pain I was failing. I had a nurse questioning my parenting, and denying that this was appendicitis, and being rude to my little boy. I definitely have my days with Preston, but as soon as I see him in pain or being bullied something snaps in me and I immediately want to protect him and I do not become a nice person. It took everything I had to not punch that nurse in the face. I was lucky Matt walked in when he did.
After several tests and many hours. They finally came to the conclusion that it was indeed appendicitis and he would go in for surgery. He was still a grumpy mess until the surgeon came in with some morphine and then all things were butterflies and rainbows to Preston. It only took about 6 hours for them to give him some pain meds to achieve that state.
Preston was brave and everything went well. The only thing I miss is his perfect little belly button.
