The Button

As I sat alone in my thoughts for a few moments while both girls were gone doing their own things I was thankful for the quiet after a horrible day; my peace bubble was burst as Heather and Ixcel came in the door with Heathers Mic Key button in hand, fully inflated. Those that know me know all to well that stomach issue are my weakness. The mick key button has been my nemesis since it was introduced into the family. We have been fortunate that Heather has never had problems with it; until tonight. 

I had just been reflecting how perfectly the day was ending despite how bad it had been, Heather was at her best friends house, a friend she was sad she hadn't seen in a couple of weeks. Ixcel showed up at the door with perfect timing on one of the worst days we have had. Ixcel was also having a very bad, sad day. Ixcel's cousin is moving with her mom back to Mexico. Heather and Ixcel left to go play, and all seemed right in the world for a moment.

Heather and Ixcel were playing at her apartment having a good time, enjoying the final hours Jasmine would be here before her big move. During some typical girl playing the button came out. The world stopped spinning- I was shocked at how calmly the girls came home, tube in hand They both were calmer than I felt.  In my mind I knew exactly what had to do- Plans A-B- and even C- I quickly ran through all of them in my mind.

-We started with Plan A-

I got Heather to lay down. Instantly I attempted to pop the tube back in, no lube, just get it back in quickly. No, such luck. From the sound of it there was possibility that the tube was inside Heathers shirt before they noticed it. Plan A failed.

I moved to Plan B

I am now in a slight panic more than I had been previously (keep in mind, I can deal with a status seizure- not this little tube or vomit- very calmly)  Heather is expressing that it hurts and her anxiety level is up, no doubt feeding off of my own anxiety level. Ixcel is talking calmly to Heather about random things to take her mind off of the situation (very mature for a 13 year old) Because of this I get the lidocain and apply it liberally to what I thought was her stoma. As we waited for the numbing to take place we talked about a sleep over the girls have been planning. After what felt like enough time had passed I attempted to put her tube back in. Now, I am not sure at what point Heather planned on telling me what she had to have known from the moment I put the cream on her body; maybe she was enjoying the fact that her mother was being a total blonde airhead- but- as I attempted to simply pop the tube into what I thought was her stoma - I am cramming, shoving and thinking to myself "wow, this cream really did numb her up well, she isn't even flinching" Heather speaks up after a good 30 seconds and
ruins my self confidence. "mom, thats my belly button"- that is right.. go back and look at the pictures again. The cream on her skin is all over her belly button in both pictures. I admit, I really am a airhead blonde!

 Obviously the tube will not go into her belly button. You can't call re-doing the above steps on the real stoma as Plan C- so we attempted this on the stoma. Unfortunately the button would not go in no matter how hard I pushed, twisted and shoved. Heather flinched and cried even with the numbing cream.  I could feel that the stoma had already started to close. It was time to move to Plan C- not ideal...





-Plan C-

The ER- I sent Ixcel home, Heather got her shoes on. I put real clothes on. Heather made the realization that we were headed to the hospital I saw panic on her face.I had to assure her she was going to be fine. She had to know where Andrew was and if he was coming. I figured this was going to be a really quick trip and there was no need to call in reinforcements. The hospital is less than a mile from our home. We left, trying to get there quickly.  As Heather and I approached the stop light Heather exclaims "THERE IS ANDREW" Sure enough, it was Andrews truck she spotted, we drove right past Andrew as he turned the opposite way. I listened to her constantly tell me to text him. Personally I think she just wanted to see him put a glove on his head like he does so well. It wasn't until after I promised her I would text him that she was calm.


As we arrived I clearly explained  to the triage nurse that her button had been out for about 30 minutes and I was certain it was starting to close- I explained that we needed to get a foley into the stoma quickly, at least until she is seen. They seated us, and we waited. I give them credit for taking her back quickly- Once in the back we waited, and waited and waited.. I did send Andrew a text, he said he was on the way. This was Heather before Andrew arrived. 

  All she needed for a smile was a man with a glove on his head; a man that loves her like a daughter. Its amazing how she lights up when he comes into the room, no matter what room it is. I love it when she fakes a smile to cover her real smile, trying to be "mad" about having her picture taken.. Thats a classic Heather Riley move. We love her and despite how tired we are. Making moments like this easier on her is what we do. Dancing to "embarrass her, making faces and yes, even wearing gloves as hats. I look at this picture and I see how tired Andrews eyes are. I am thankful (albeit a tad guilty feeling) there are no pitcures of myself to show how tired and stressed I was that night..

                                                                                                                                                  

So We played around with Heather and waited, and waited and waited, long past the 2 hours you have before a stoma of this type will certainly begin to close. Finally the doctor came in. A doctor that looked exactly like Flint from Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

When I had this thought in my own mind it was easy to be an adult about the situation. Once I shared the thought with Andrew, keeping a straight face was much harder. I looked at Dr.Flint and had a tough time listening to him and not seeing this guy.

The whole night was a bizzare experience. What should have been a quick fix turned into something as comical as Dr.Flint Lockwood coming into Heather room. She finally got the foley in to hold her stoma opened. She had to be sent home with it since the button wouldn't go back in. They wanted to do an x-ray to make sure it was in the correct place. I was almost afraid to let them take since they didn't seem to know what they were doing. First they were going to take her for a CT scan, they they were going to take her for a central line placement. When they finally did the x ray the contrast was put into the balloon of the foley and the procedure had to be redone. At the end of it all I just had to laugh (which I had to stifle as Dr.Flint talked) I was aggravated with the whole situation since it was all avoidable. We have determined we are just going to drive to uptown in the future and take her to the main children's hospital. It is only 12 miles.

So, Heather had to go home with a long foley catheter in her belly instead of her button. No one was happy. Andrew and I were concerned about her not being able to attend the multi-sports camp she was so excited about going to that starts on Monday. While we were there Andrew asked Heather several times if she would allow him to try to get her button back in, but she wouldn't. We were getting desperate. In the past year he has been the only one she will let change her button. It seemed logical he might be the one to get it in. Maybe she would be calmer when he did it. She was not going to let anyone touch her that night so in the back of my mind I was already working on Plan D. This foley was not acceptable.  

Plan D-

The girls and I slept until late Saturday morning, almost afternoon really. When we did wake up I spoke with Heather we talked calmly about trying once more to get her button back in. Together she and I prayed about it. Slowly we took about 45 minutes total to get the button in, but it happened. She and I both screamed with joy and celebrated. We invited Andrew over for a steak dinner, made a fort in the living room and watched a movie. I don't think I have ever been so thankful to pop a button in her belly since she got the thing

This whole ordeal was just a mess- and happened on the one of our worst days Heather, Brittany and I have had since we moved here, but that is another story for another day.