Morgan is feisty and temperamental sometimes. But she's generally a happy kid. That's why we knew something wasn't quite right when she woke me up at 6am on Saturday morning screaming "my tummy hurts". Honestly? I kept waiting for her to throw up. These little pain episodes continued throughout the day - but very intermittently. But when they did come, she would double over in pain and tears. Finally after a nap disrupted by the pain Saturday afternoon, I called the on-call doctor and he suggested I take her in. He said with small children, it's hard to tell what it might be...from constipation to appendicitis. So off Morgan & I went to Mercy's ER. We got in fairly quickly and the fun began. First a rectal temp, then a catheter to check for a urinary tract infection. Slight fever and no UTI. Then it was off to X-ray for shots of her belly. While we were at Mercy, the spasms of pain had become much more frequent and were lasting longer. After the x-rays were finally read, it was discovered that her bowel was distended to the point that the ER doctor moved us to a "regular" ER room (we were in the fast track before), and I was told that we would be transferred to UIHC about 30 minutes down the road in Iowa City, for a surgical consult....um, WHAT??? They couldn't tell from the x-rays if she had a bowel obstruction or an intussussception but it didn't really matter because both would require surgery and Mercy can't do Peds intestinal surgery. So with my poor sweetie screaming in pain, I called Eric and asked him to come down so he took Will to his parents' house and joined me in the ER. I also called Morgan's dad and he came down as well. The nurses got an IV started and gave her some nausea medication as well as morphine...and oh my was Morgan on morphine FUNNY! 
Shortly after that, they loaded Morgan into an ambulance, I climbed in front and we were off with lights & sirens racing towards Iowa City. Eric and Scott were behind us, but we left them in the dust after the first stoplight. We arrived at UIHC and got checked in. By this time the morphine was in full force and Morgan was fairly comfortable. Mind you, it was 11 at night and the child was still WIDE AWAKE! 
We saw the resident first and she felt like it was likely just very bad constipation but wanted to wait for the ER Pediatrician to see her. When he came in, after one look at the x-ray, he was able to tell us, that after all that, guess what? Morgan was CONSTIPATED! I tell you, I've talked more about poop in the last 5 days than I have in the last 10 years. So after an enema which worked wonders (I'll leave it at that :)), we were discharged about 1am. Morgan was asleep by the time we hit 380 north and Eric & I would have been too, if we hadn't been so keyed up. We are SO grateful that this turned out the way it did - it could have been so much worse. However, we are all a little frustrated as well. Now, if you know me at all, you know I'm all for being cautious, especially when it comes to my childrens' health. But there is a difference between being cautious and scaring me half to death!! Lights & sirens for constipation?? Anyway, now all that's left is waiting for the bills (ouch!!). Praise God for our healthy sweetie!
Shortly after that, they loaded Morgan into an ambulance, I climbed in front and we were off with lights & sirens racing towards Iowa City. Eric and Scott were behind us, but we left them in the dust after the first stoplight. We arrived at UIHC and got checked in. By this time the morphine was in full force and Morgan was fairly comfortable. Mind you, it was 11 at night and the child was still WIDE AWAKE! We saw the resident first and she felt like it was likely just very bad constipation but wanted to wait for the ER Pediatrician to see her. When he came in, after one look at the x-ray, he was able to tell us, that after all that, guess what? Morgan was CONSTIPATED! I tell you, I've talked more about poop in the last 5 days than I have in the last 10 years. So after an enema which worked wonders (I'll leave it at that :)), we were discharged about 1am. Morgan was asleep by the time we hit 380 north and Eric & I would have been too, if we hadn't been so keyed up. We are SO grateful that this turned out the way it did - it could have been so much worse. However, we are all a little frustrated as well. Now, if you know me at all, you know I'm all for being cautious, especially when it comes to my childrens' health. But there is a difference between being cautious and scaring me half to death!! Lights & sirens for constipation?? Anyway, now all that's left is waiting for the bills (ouch!!). Praise God for our healthy sweetie!
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