909

909 is Simon and Gary's current home: at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital.  Thankfully it won't be home for very long. Turn up your hearing aide.  I said "IT WON'T BE HOME FOR VERY LONG."

So. . . here is the skinny.  I get called on Friday afternoon from the school secretary saying that Simon has belly pain and can I come and get him.  Yes.  This is a first for me--picking up a sick kid.  The thing is, Simon is fine in class but it hurts when he runs or you press his tummy.  Hmmm.  What is this?  Gary comes home and we perform a very complete tummy physical.  We are experts you know.  We decide that Gary will go with Simon to the hospital.  We aren't taking any chances.

We have to start back at square one, which I understand but can be frustrating.  Blood tests, medical history, blah blah blah taking lots of time.  I join them later at night.  Blood tests: not bad.  X-Rays: show nothing of consequence.  Gary and I insist on a CT scan and lo and behold---an inflamed appendix and another abscess.

He is admitted and I receive a phone call from my mom who was woken up by Gary (he didn't want to wake me) at 6:00 this morning.  She is coming over to babysit so I can go to the hospital.  Simon is having surgery.  They are taking the appendix out!  Hip Hip Hooray!

Surgery went great.  There were a few hiccups (it is Simon you know).  For one thing, the appendix had split into two pieces.  Very unusual.  Thankfully the doctor found the other piece.  We have pictures of them both if you'd like to see.  Simon is also in possession of several titanium stitches in his large intestine which he'll get to keep for his whole life.  Lucky.  He also has new sticker books, new stuffed animals, new silly bands, and lots of other memorabilia from the hospital.

This is not like the last time.  Not at all.  Though Simon had pain, he is bouncing back like a weeble.  He was walking around already at 12:30.  He is eating.  He asked for water in recovery.  He is smiling.  See, this time it was just surgery--there wasn't a raging infection.  Gary and I hugged each other, blessed God, and clapped for Him in the waiting room.  God is taking great care of us.  How awesome that we got to be there over the week-end when childcare wasn't a huge problem.  How awesome that we didn't wait but went in right away.  How awesome that we got back on "our floor" and saw some of our nurse friends.  How awesome that they could bring up an extra order of chicken nuggets.  How awesome that the surgeon just "happened to see" another piece of the appendix.  How awesome that they didn't have to open him up even though his cute belly was so inflamed.  Our God is so awesome and is taking great care of us in this situation--much like He did the first time.  He spared our son's life and Simon is scheduled (we know things can change!) to come home tomorrow.  He might even go to school on Monday--after all--he has a library book that was due two weeks ago.