G-tube Drama

So on Friday morning I got the kids off to school at 8:00 a.m., then I worked on getting Lauryn settled in with cereal, etc. I then decided I'd better check on Brynlyn and make sure all was well in the crib. I quickly noticed that her blankets around her were all wet. My immediate thought was that she had disconnected the feeding pump tube to her g-tube feeding attachment which can be common and is often called "feeding the bed." But after closer examination, I realized it was something more than that.

She had completely pulled out her "button" out of her tummy and it was tucked inside her onesie, which was also soaking wet. Aagh! She has never done this before and this button has been in since September '06. I immediately panicked and tried to remember the training from the nurses (9 months ago). Thankfully we have replacement buttons and I grabbed it and started reading the instructions on how to put the button in. The nurses made it look way too easy. (I am bummed that I didn't grab my camera and snap a picture of what her tummy looks like without the button, but I was too panicked to think of that at the time.)

The panic in this situation is if the g-tube site is open for more than about 4 hours, the "hole" to the stomach will begin to close up. The body is an amazing vessel and will immediately start to heal itself. If the hole closes up so much that the DR's can't get the button back in, then surgery needs to be repeated in order to insert the button, once again.

So after making several attempts to put it in, it just wouldn't go in. And so I called my Mom who was also at the button training. She immediately jumped in her car and started her way to my house. In the meantime, I called my husband completely frantic and he told me to call the DR. Hmm...why didn't I think of that???

It was about 8:45 a.m. by this time and the DR office did not open until 9:00. So I quickly threw on clothes and did make-up in full anticipation that they would need us to come down to their office to have their staff put the button back in. I was right.

After contacting the office, they instructed me to come down immediately. They are across from PCH (in Phoenix) so 45 minutes later from Gilbert, I got there. The nurses made several attempts at re-inserting the button, but they had no luck because the hole had already started to close up. Yikes! Then they called in Dr. Acosta (another peds surgeon) and he used a long metal tool (like a metal pencil) and he pried the hole open, basically "dilating" the hole. Yes, I believe it was as painful as it sounds. Brynlyn was so beside herself and crying hysterically. The nurses were more panicked with the fact that the harder she cried, the bluer shade she turned. I was more nervous about the button and praying the entire time that he could get it in. He finally did, and they were able to insert a slightly bigger button into the hole.

I guess she had outgrown her button and they believe that's why it was so easy to pull out. And the nurses told me that I would never have been able to get the button in because the hold was closed up too much. I certainly learned what to do in the event that happened in the future, and also ways to help the hole stay open in case the button did fall out again.

Aagh...tragedy averted...never a quiet or dull moment...I need a nap....ha ha