Prayer Request: My Son

[Philip]

Guys, just got back from a morning at the emergency room. My oldest - the one who last month had his appendix burst - was on the way to school when he was hit with a frightening level of abdominal pain. He has had the odd abdominal discomfort since his appendectomy, but we attributed it to the importance of needing to totally heal from the surgery. The rest of the time he's been fine. Emergency room checked his vitals, they were OK, so they suggested we might want to go to our family doc - as the emergency room isn't totally covered by our insurance. Went to the doc and turns out his white blood cell count is very high - suggesting an infection. I'm picking up my youngest from school and bringing him back here. My wife is on the way back to the emergency room with Duncan. It must have something to do with the surgery. Hopefully, he wasn't too active, too soon. He's in terrible pain, so your prayers are so appreciated.

[RickD]

[1over137]

Philip,
I hope he soon will get proper medicine and soon will be helped.

Praying for you.

[Philip]

Thanks so much, guys - I truly appreciate your prayers.

Update: Duncan's pain has moderated to about 5/10, whereas it was about a 9/10. He's still awaiting a scan at the emergency room / hospital. But they are so backed up that it looks like it might be 2 or 3 in the morning before they get to him. So, he's on a chair out with a bunch of other sick folks, in the waiting area. He laid down in the car for several hours, as no cots are available - hard to believe. We can get into see his surgeon about 2 pm tomorrow, but we know that would almost certainly mean the same issue - go and wait on a proper scan at the hospital - and maybe another 12-plus-hour wait, once there. I'm going down about 10:20 tonight, so hopefully we'll have a scan and some initial answer by morning, for the surgeons to ponder from his doc group. His initial pain level was frightening, along with getting repeatedly sick to his stomach - I guess pain could also do that. And that level of incapacitating pain is why I'd rather be safe and camp out for his scan. Plus, I sure don't want him to suddenly worsen away from the hospital. Crazy, this is a major city hospital and it is jammed with desperate people, stacked in the halls, waiting room, laying down in their cars outside. Pray for the sick and the staff treating them!

[RickD]

Keep us updated please.

[Philip]

Update: VERY long night and a day. With such incredible pain, it took until about 1 a.m. before a doctor at the emergency room examined him and put him on a morphine drip. This afternoon, my son is MUCH better, but won't leave the hospital before Monday - so weird, he's in the very same room as five weeks ago, when his appendix had burst. Thanks so much for those who prayed for him.

The baffling thing is there is no clear answer as to the cause. His small intestine and lower bowel were severely inflamed. Surely it has something indirect connection to his surgery in January. Scans show the surgical site looks good, not infected as we had expected. We were so worried they were going to open him up again. An antibiotic drip and the pain med appears to have been very effective, as the inflammation is progressively recessing. Somehow, either his immune system was still not back up to strength and it allowed a virus to attack him, or some aspect of his prior surgery. We might never know the cause. We're so appreciative to God for an apparently good outcome. It's pretty amazing how things like this can strike so quickly. And it's so humbling to go into an emergency room and see some of the intense suffering that goes on. I saw one poor guy - big, strong strapping fellow, so racked with pain he had tears in his eyes. Good health - what a blessing!

[Kurieuo]

Gosh, what a scare... just saw this now, but glad things are picking up. I pray they get to the root cause and fix. Unsettling not know what happened.

[Philip]

Thanks, Scott! Better still this morning, and starting soft foods. Fact that he's better and better tells me that, whatever kicked it off, the antibiotics and/or IV fluids plus rest have really helped. I bet his immune system was still in a weak state and he encountered a very bad virus he couln't fight off. A lesson learned - if someone gets a lot of "stuff" up, they can quickly become dehydrated - which is likely why his white count was so elevated. Just learned they may release him tomorrow.

[RickD]

Thanks, Scott! Better still this morning, and starting soft foods. Fact that he's better and better tells me that, whatever kicked it off, the antibiotics and/or IV fluids plus rest have really helped. I bet his immune system was still in a weak state and he encountered a very bad virus he couln't fight off. A lesson learned - if someone gets a lot of "stuff" up, they can quickly become dehydrated - which is likely why his white count was so elevated. Just learned they may release him tomorrow.

That's great news Philip!

[Philip]

Yes it IS! Thanks, Rick!

[1over137]

[RickD]

Any update Philip?

[Philip]

Yes, Rick. He got out of the hospital on Saturday. He's still on antibiotics. Still no certainty as to the cause. He's a bit soft right now - getting his strength back slowly. Since before his appendectomy, he's probably lost 20 lbs., because he was a serious weight lifter - he can't lift heavy weight for six months. Before, he was eating five meals a day.

The positive is, I think he now realizes life can really throw you some unexpected curve balls, to not get too wrapped up in superficial things and pursuits - least not to extremes. He also got to see a lot of other people suffering - I think it probably opened his eyes.

Thanks, Rick, and all who prayed for Duncan! So scary when something severe so quickly strikes a young person.

[Kurieuo]

Perhaps God has plans for Duncan, teaching him existential lessons early?

[RickD]

Since Duncan has been through a lot, maybe now, dad will let him get a man-bun.