A Shocking Surprise

Lily had been doing so well with her vomiting.  I believe it had been a good three weeks that we went vomit free. . .except she had started putting her fingers in her mouth and gagging herself and sometimes spitting up a little from that.


That was the trick she pulled on Thursday.  I was in the other room and heard her doing her little gag cough, but by the time I made it into the living room, there was already a puddle of vomit on the floor, running down her face and pooling in her mouth.


As soon--and I mean AS SOON--as the episode had stopped, she was snotty and congested sounding.  My fear was that she had aspirated on her vomit.  I kept an eye on her that day, but it seemed like as the day wore on, she got worse.  She even seemed a little blue around the lips at therapy, but when we got home, I checked her oxygen level, which was in her normal 98 - 100 range.  Because of that, I decided to just keep an eye on her.


But as always, when the congestion is around, so is the vomiting, and sure enough, she started vomiting.  


That, coupled with a little wheezing, took us to the doctor on Friday.  She heard wheezing, did an RSV test just to be sure, and because that was negative, sent us to get Lily a chest x-ray to check for aspiration pneumonia.


At the end of the day, I got the call from the doctors office.  No aspiration pneumonia, but. . .


a surprising discovery.


Lily had a few rib fractures and a diaphragmatic hernia.  Both of us were quite surprised.


We think the rib fractures came from Philadelphia, when Lily fell off the bed.  :(


As for the diaphragmatic hernia. . .I have no idea.  It's new for Lily.  She's had multiple ultrasounds and x-rays, but this is the first it's been seen.  All the doctor could say was that it can be quite dangerous if you're born with it because the lungs haven't developed, but since Lily is three, her lungs should be developed and that should not be a problem.  Still, she's referring us to the pediatric surgeon who follows Lily for her g-tube and to pulmonary.  At least these two doctors are familiar with Lily.  But I must admit that I'm a little worried.  Just a little.  I'm trying to remind myself that there's no reason to worry since I don't know any outcome as of yet.  But prayers would be greatly appreciated.


As for school. . .we decided not to send Lily to school this year.  There are only four weeks left, and we're a little concerned about the makeup of the class.  Lily would be in a room of seven to eight four year olds (That's because she would be in the afternoon class.  Three year olds make up the morning class.)  Some of these children, from what I understand, have behavior issues, and I'm not so sure any of them are wheelchair bound.  We're just not comfortable with that.  


Instead, Lily is going to continue with her therapies here at home.  And it may sound short-sighted of me, but honestly, in the grand scheme of Lily's little life, I don't think her educational development is as important as her physical development.  And I don't think her physical development will be the focus in school.  There it will be her educational development.  Sure, if Lily knew her colors, that would be pretty spectacular, or if she knew the difference between a cat and a dog, let's say, that would be pretty spectacular.  Again, in the grand scheme of her life, I just don't think that's the most important focus we should have.  It doesn't mean we'll never send her to school, but it certainly makes us reconsider sending her to school when the environment doesn't seem to be conducive to her well-being.  Of course, we want her to go to Pattison's anyway, but she wouldn't be able to start there until she's at least four, and since it's a charter school, if there are more applicants than there are spaces, they implement a lottery.  The luck of the draw.  Still, we hope.


But for now, there are other more important issues.  At least we don't have to worry about aspiration pneumonia.