Mother's instinct and bad timing

This post needs to be long. I have a lot to explain. But I don't have very much time, so I will try to be brief.

For the past couple of months (since after his heart surgery and since he's started solids), Benjamin has been spitting up. A lot. Especially when he has pressure put on his stomach, like during PT. Not right after he eats, but anytime. The doctor at first thought it was just reflux, but because Down syndrome babies are more prone to have digestional issues and because I, as the mommy, felt like something else was wrong, his pediatrician scheduled Benjamin for an upper GI this morning.

My cousins came over to watch Andrew and Benjamin and I drove down to Children's. Benjamin hadn't eaten since 4 a.m. and was hungry and tired. But SUCH a trooper. Basically, after hours of being there and having countless x-rays taken, it was determined that there is a weblike membrane covering his duodenum, which is the connecting tube between the stomach and the small intestine. Or something like that. So basically, the food cannot digest properly and hence the spitup. And hence the fact that he has only gained one ounce in a full month. According to the surgeon, this occurs in about 10% of Down syndrome babies.

This is evidently a pretty serious thing. The doctor who read the xrays today said that it was surprising that we were just now noticing this b/c they're usually there from birth. But we determined that we probably just didn't notice it until now b/c the solids made it worse. We're meeting with the surgeon tomorrow morning, and his surgery is this Friday morning. He'll probably be in the hospital three or four days. I'll know more tomorrow after we meet with the surgeon, but I think it's a pretty easy surgery. The reason it'll take awhile in the hospital is b/c he has to eat and poop normally before he can be discharged.

The "bad timing" part of this whole situation is that Matthew leaves Thursday morning for Disney and will be gone until late Monday night. Sigh. Thankfully, my parents are going to watch Andrew. It will be hard for me to have to be in the hospital without Matthew, especially b/c I'll have to pump (B's still nursing) four times a day. I'm not sure, but I think I should qualify for three meals a day b/c I'm still breastfeeding. If we had no family help or if the surgery were more serious, I'm sure Matthew would cancel his trip. But he's been training so hard for this marathon, and he'd be out quite a bit of money to boot. So even though he's torn, he's going. And I'm so glad. I would hate not to be strong enough to handle this on my own.

But anyway, there is the story for now. I will say that I know many of you will offer to help, and that those of you who are here in town will want to come do something. I am going to be perfectly frank b/c that's what I am. I think it might be easier if there were fewer people. Hospital visitors are sometimes more of a stressful situation than a help. I promise you that if we need anything, we will call friends. I'm not saying I don't want any help b/c I may need it, but please don't feel like I'm in horrible need. I'm sure we'll be fine.

Anyway, here are two cute pictures from our hospital trip today. Thanks for the prayers!!!!