Never a dull moment

This morning Peanut woke up complaining of severe stomach/back pain.  At first I thought he must have what I had Tuesday morning combined with sleeping on a pull-out couch.  After about thirty minutes he was in the fetal position and moaning.  Then throwing up.  I knew it was worse than I had originally thought.  I was thinking it may be his appendix.  We decided he need to go to the ER.  We had found a better room across the street at the Holiday Inn so we needed to check out and get us across the street.  Baby J left me and the girls at the hotel and headed to RRMC.  Baby J's twin and her family were staying at the Holiday Inn also so we hooked up with them and they took us to Papa's house to enjoy the 4th.  We had hamburgers, fish, ribs, hot dogs, potato salad, cake....and I'm sure there was more.  Lil Bit and her cousin Courtney making hamburger patties.

Then the girls helped clean and cut the tails off the fish.

Meanwhile at the hospital Peanut is being hooked up to IV and waiting on x-ray results.  Turns out he has a kidney stone!  They gave him some prescriptions and sent him on his way.  16 is young for those but he will survive.  I'm just glad it wasn't his appendix.  Baby J and Peanut got to Papa's just in time to eat. After dinner we all got together for some pictures. My family with Papa. (Baby Girl looks rough.  She spent her afternoon chasing the cat and entertaining Uncle Rog and Richard at the grill)

Courtney and Peanut

 Courtney and Baby Girl

Next stop....Youth Challenge. Papa is the founder of Youth Challenge of Hampton Roads.  Youth Challenge is a residential program that helps individuals spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physical through Biblical principles.  It really is an awesome deal.  For more information visit www.youthchallengehope.org  The program is run on nothing but donations so if you feel it in you to give, they will gladly accept what you can offer. Here are some pictures from out visit to the men's home. 

 Livia lounging in the boss' chair

After our visit at the Hope Center we all went to Victoria Pier to watch the fireworks.  It was a nice breezy 75 degrees.  Happy Fourth to everyone.  Oh what a day it has been!

Now we know!

As I mentioned before Little Bit had her surgery Tuesday. Here is how the day went...(these were my status post from facebook)
8:44 - on the interstate
9:49 - We're here! Now mask or no mask? hmm
10:02 - We're checked in and waiting. And they were out of mask so that took care of that decision. Now we are watching the fish swim
10:47 - headed for CT. She is still awake so we'll see how it goes
11:18 - She did it and they gave her a Barbie! Now she just got goofy juice and a stuffed pig for drinkin it. Then movin on to gas!

11:31 - They just took her to the OR. I have eye makeup on and WILL NOT cry!! Why is this so hard? We've been down this road before Should see her in recovery in 30.
11:54 - she's done...waiting to see the doc and then go see my baby! oh I forgot to mention she got to pet the therapy dog before her scan! She loved it!
12:11 - hope she wakes up happy. What are the chances?
12:32 - STILL waiting Come on and hurry up already!
12:39 - going to see her!
1:18 - she was cranky for bout 30 minutes. Now watchin cartoons, eatin a popsicle...still little high from morphine

1:58 - she just got off iv and finished 2 popsicles
2:09 - she is going to be discharged!
3:40 - aaahhh she threw up! yuck!
We talked the doctor and he told us that she had fluid in both ears. So it is good she had tubes put in. Her CT scan showed she has enlarged vestibular aqueducts(EVA). Here is what I googled on EVA.

Vestibular aqueducts are narrow, bony canals that travel from the inner ear to deep inside the skull. The aqueducts begin inside the temporal bone, the part of the skull just above the ear. The temporal bone also contains two sensory organs that are part of the inner ear. These organs are the cochlea, which detects sound waves and turns them into nerve signals, and the vestibular labyrinth, which detects movement and gravity. These organs, together with the nerves that send their signals to the brain, work to create normal hearing and balance. Running through each vestibular aqueduct is a fluid-filled tube called the endolymphatic duct, which connects the inner ear to a balloon-shaped structure called the endolymphatic sac.
A vestibular aqueduct is considered enlarged if it is greater than 1.5 millimeters in size, roughly the diameter of the head of a pin. If a vestibular aqueduct is enlarged, the endolymphatic duct and sac usually grow large too. The functions of the endolymphatic sac and duct are not completely understood. Scientists currently believe that the endolymphatic sac and duct help to ensure that the fluid in the inner ear contains the correct amounts of certain chemicals called ions. Ions are needed to help start the nerve signals that send sound and balance information to the brain.
So when it is enlarged it allows brain fluid to mix with the ear fluid and that has caused damage to the nerve in the tube. Thats my understanding of it anyway. It cannot be corrected and the studies I have read show that it can progress to a profound(total) loss. Not what we wanted to hear but there are worse things to have! She is scheduled to go back in 5 weeks for follow up test, so we'll see how that goes.

What cost $50.01 and takes 4 hours??

*Warning: Not for the weak* Any guess'? Friday night, right before we walked out the door to go eat dinner, Baby Girl swallowed a penny. It was not an easy swallow. She choked it down followed by a couple bouts of throwing up. After about 20 minutes I thought she would be ok BUT then she threw up again. So I was afraid it might be stuck in her throat so off to the ER we went. We sat in the waiting room about 3 hours before we got sent back for an xray. By then it had made its way to her stomach. After about another hour to see the doctor we were told that if she gets fever or has lots of pain to bring her back otherwise just "watch for it to pass". YUCK!! If it doesn't pass by Monday she has to go back for another xray to see if the penny may be stuck somewhere! 4 hours in the ER with a $50 deductible and $.01 in her belly....thats what cost $50.01 and takes 4 hours.
*UPDATE*
She passed the penny! Apparently it takes 46 hours. I am thankful that this can now be put to rest. I REALLY did NOT want to have to take her for another xray!