Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery - REALLY LONG UPDATE

I'm completey beside myself so posting is somewhat therapeutic for me as he sleeps in his bed awaiting the surgeon to get here.

Please pray. He is probably going to lose a testicle. I pray that's not the case but it looks that way. I'll explain more later.

UPDATE - thank you so much for all the prayers. It's been such a crazy night/morning but he's doing well. He did lose the testicle but in retrospect I'm so thankful that he did well with the surgery and that he is a healthy!!!

OK, here's the story. If I wasn't already out of the contest, this one I'm sure definately disqualifies me for mother of the year.

Yesterday at around 9am I changed Matthew's diaper. His testicles looked a little red. Now, he does have a double ear infection and on and off fever so I attributed it to the fever and nothing more. Fast forward to about 4pm when I changed him again and notice they were now swollen. I had changed him in between and didn't notice anything other than a little redness. So I called his ped. And then called again after an hour with no return call. I wasn't completely freaked because I'm admittedly not very well versed on the risk and complications of the testicle.

In the meantime, it was DH's b'day and we had some family over and we were going to dinner. So I called the ped again to call my cell. We left for dinner. All day Matthew wasn't acting cranky, in pain or anything. Just a little whiny but I attributed that to the ear even though he's been on anti-biotic since Thursday.

At around 6:30 the ped calls me back. She indicated that I should probably get it checked out but because he doesn't have vomiting or diahrea and not in pain that it wasn't a testicular tortion which is extremely time sensitive. She said to try and take him tonight.

OK, she didn't seem too alarmed. She thought it might be a rash or something from the antibiotic. She also mentioned thrush. So I decided we would finish dinner. Looking back I am completely kicking myself although doc did say it wouldn't have made a difference. Plus he clearly wasn't in pain. BTW, at the restaurant he wanted to run around and he slipped on the wet floor, fell to his butt and then fell backwards and hit his head. This was NOT a good day!

OK, so at around 8:30 or so we arrive at the ER. I had gone home and changed him and put his pj's on because I figured we would be there late.

In the waiting room Matthew is running all over the place while DH gets us checked in. Seems fine.

We get a room. He watched Elmo. Trys to jump on the bed. Again, normal.

They examine him preliminarily. They can see he's tender to the touch. Apparently they could tell it was the left one. They test reflexes which seem ok but they immediately call for an ultrasound and explain to me that they need to check to ensure he doesn't have a testicular tortion.

I know i've used that phrase before so I should explain what that is. Basically that means that the tesicle twists cutting of blood supply. Ater about 6-8 hours without bloods it dies. And then needs to be removed to reduce risk of gangrene or him developing bad antibodies which would effect his other testicle.

We wait a while for the ultrasound tech because they had to call someone from home. At this point DH and I are kind of anxious. I tried to talk through it. Worse case scenario he loses it. It's not life threatening. It doesn't mean he will definately have fertility issues. If it is a cosmetic thing he would always get a prostetic one. Just basically talking myself and DH off the ledge. I think for a man this was harder for him to accept but he was a trooper too.

OK, so we get to the ultrasound room. They put the gel on the testicles and search around. Just like they did when we all had out babies. It took about 20 minues and I tried to get the technician to tell me what she saw but she said I'd have to wait for the doc. Then we knew something was up.

We go back to the ER and they make us wait a little more. Turns out they can see that the one tesicle has no blood flowing to it so they called in the pediatric urologist and are prepping the OR.

It's late at this point and he's tired so he falls asleep. I'm a mess. I think it was around that time when I wrote this post. Again, I think I just needed to do something to keep my mind busy because I had been crying pretty much for 2 or 3 hours.

So the surgeon comes in, explains that he will probably lose it but that there was a chance that maybe he wouldn't. Also, while she was in there she was going to sew down the other testicle to the scrotum so to prevent this ever happening to the other one.

In terms of the cause. She said just "bad luck". kind of not comforting. She said it's not common at all. And he was not displaying any of the symptoms outwardly so he's an even rarer case. I think he must have a high tolerance for pain.

OK, so at midnight he gets wheeled in for surgery. He was still sleeping so it made it easier because i didn't have to go in like i did when he had surgery a year ago. Funny side note, the anestesiologist was the same guy who did my epidural. The same guy who on 7/19/07 I had professed my undying love for taking the labor pains away. So I felt ok about it. I think I was numb at that point and I just wanted it to be over because time had elapsed and if there was a chance to save it it needed to be soon.

We went to the waiting room and I talked to my mom most of the time. At some point a security guard came in. Walked over to us. And asked if we had talked to the doctors on his condition. DH and I just turned white as a ghost thinking that this guy knew something we didn't. He quickly restated that he didin't know anything either but I guess he was just checking to see that we were in the right place because the hospital was a ghost town where we were and I guess he was making sure we belonged there. But that was so scary.

About an hour after he went in the urologist came in to tell me that it was done. He did lost the testicle. It was black where it twisted indicated it was without blood for more than 8 hours if not longer. They sewed the other one down. That one looked normal. She warned that if he played sports to have him always wear a cup to avoid the risk of losing the other one. She also specifically warned again hockey, lacrosse and soccer which crushed DH because he so wanted matthew to play hockey. Oh well. I'm ok with it.

They take us to recovery. He's very sleepy. In and out of it. They keep us for an hour to monitor but tell us we can go home because it will be easier for him to recoup at home. I'm thrilled!!! So we got home at around 3am.

The incision is right along the front where boys have a line anyway. Right now there is permabond and the stiches will absorb. She said he will be running around by tonight. He can go back to daycare tomorrow (although I think I'm going to keep him home). He is on tylenol with codeine so we've been hanging out in bed all morning. He's just laying next to me chilling. Good thing I have every episode of backyardigan's on dvr because it looks like that is what we'll be doing alll day.

Thanks again for all of the prayers. I'm ok with it now. I'm relieved he is healthy. That he made it through surgery. And that he is home with me now.

Message edited 12/21/2008 10:33:31 AM.

Re: Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery

OMG...WHAT HAPPENED??????

Im praying for you all! And Hope Matthew is ok!

Re: Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery

Re: Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery

I hope everything is ok

Re: Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery

Re: Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery

Re: Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery

OMG many prayers for little Matthew

Re: Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery

Re: Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery

My prayers are with you and your family in time of need.

Re: Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery

OMG Lisa! What happened? I hoipe everything will be okay!!!!!!!

Re: Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery

You are in my thoughts.

Re: Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery

OMG I hope everything turns out okay.

Re: Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery

Re: Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your son.

Re: Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery

Re: Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery

Re: Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery

Re: Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery

Re: Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery

Re: Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery

Re: Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery

Re: Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery

Re: Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery

Re: Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery

Re: Please pray for my son as he is about to undergo emergency surgery