Paizlei's Surgery

On December 7, 2011, Paizlei had exploratory surgery and a colonoscopy to see if they could figure out why she can't go pooh.  After the surgery, I was so upset when her doctor came to talk to me and tell me that they found pretty much NOTHING...nothing the naked eye could see.  They took about 10 biopsies from her tummy and her rectum and colon.  The findings of the biopsies gave very few reasons as to why she can't go.  One, they discovered she has crypt architectural distortion in the colon and the rectum.  The doctor said there really isn't anything they can do for it, and hopefully she will out-grow it.  That also states that she doesn't have Crohn's Disease.  They also found that she has mild increases in inflammation, which is consistent with food allergies, but they couldn't pinpoint WHAT foods she is allergic too.  The doctor did confirm that the inflammation is NOT consistent  with lactose intolerance and Celiac Disease (which our family physician said Celiac's most common diagnosis is with a biopsy NOT a blood test, but that if it is bad enough, it can be detected in the blood).  The doctor said it would be really difficult to pinpoint the allergies, but I can keep a journal of everything she eats, or we could just wait and let it play out and see when the food allergies present themselves in a more pronounced way.  I have tried to keep a journal, but she is a little sneaky and will go into the kitchen and help herself, so it's almost pointless.  I am going out on a whim and hoping and praying the allergies will present themselves.

The day after she had the surgery, Paizlei's skin was playing games with me.  One minute she was so pale, it scared me...the next minute, she was so flushed, her cheeks were bright red.  She had a low grade fever most of the day that wouldn't break even with Tylenol and Motrin alternating every 3 hours.  By 4pm, I was freaking out, I called up to PCMC and was able to talk to the doctor.  He said he was going to call a couple of prescriptions into our pharmacy for us and talk to anesthesiology.  He called me back not 2 minutes after I hung up with him.  He advised me to take her into the nearest ER immediately because he feared she was having an allergic to the anesthesia, or that she had some internal bleeding from the biopsies, or she had contracted an infection while at PCMC.  Freaking out even more, I dropped Hunter off with Zane's amazing Mom, and we went immediately to the ER.  His fears were confirmed, she was having an allergic reaction.  It just so happened our family physician was also on in the ER that night...thank goodness, because he knows EVERYTHING about Paizlei.  They gave her a shot of an antibiotic, just to be on the safe side, if she did in fact contract an infection, the antibiotic will start working fast.  Paizlei also got a dose of Benadryl for the reaction.  I was told to watch her very close for the next couple of days and to continue giving her the Benadryl for 2-3 days.

I was so impressed with how great everyone at PCMC was.  They were all so friendly, explained everything, made sure Paizlei was going to be comfortable, and that I was going to be comfortable.  I thought it was so awesome, they put her to sleep with sleeping gas BEFORE they gave her the IV.  It was so peaceful...there was no holding down a VERY strong toddler, while she was fighting because they were giving her an IV.  They poked her once in her foot and got the IV in on the first try.  And, they gave her Versed before they took her back.  And they let her take her beloved "Piggy Bug", aka lady bug Pillow Pet, back into the OR.  Our experience there was so great, I wouldn't hesitate going back.  

 My sweet little Paizlei coming out of the anesthesia.  She didn't like how it made her feel.  She was so uncomfortable.

When they wheeled her into surgery, she got to ride in a wagon.  When she woke up, all she cared about was riding the wagon out to the car.  She kept crying, "I want the wagon!", "Where the wagon go?", "Me go in wagon!".  She was beyond happy when she got to rid the wagon out to the car.  She was so cute.