So Elijah landed in the hospital - again. Things had been going pretty good for the little guy throughout the summer. His bowel regimen, despite a few hiccups along the way seemed to be going well. He was finally (mostly) able to make it into the restroom and stay clean and dry all day. It was big deal when he turned five and also felt like a big boy. However, in early October, we started noticing less and less success. We took him to the gastroenterologist, who wrote it off and said we were just waiting until he was older and would better tolerate a surgery or further testing. But things continued to decline and while we were travelling in Michigan to visit family, it became clear that he was obstructed. We tried the normal cleanout (which isn't for sissies) and nothing happened. We waited until we got home and kept trying. Finally, the dr. decided that we should admit him for a clean out. Typically this isn't a fun experience, but it's quick, like less than 24 hours and a gallon of laxatives. Elijah took five days and ten gallons.
Obviously, things had gone significantly wrong. A new Dr. was assigned to us, and we really liked her. She thought it would be good to rule out a couple of things, and scheduled a colonoscopy and several biopsies. We didn't really expect them to show much, but were necessary to rule out a few other conditions that would have required a different approach.
When he was almost one, he had a surgery to cut his spinal cord, it was necessary, but left residual damage. This was one of the functions that was damaged. They've now decided Elijah's colon is paralyzed. Therefore, it simply doesn't move the food through. Bloodwork also shows that his body isn't doing a good job of absorbing nutrients from the food he eats. So, we were put in touch with surgery. By God's provision, the surgeon we were assigned had recently moved here from Cincinatti Colerectal Center for Children, and had experience with kids similar to Elijah. He will be performing a MACE procedure, which is basically a stoma (hole) that connects his bowel to the outside of his abdomen to allow him to flush his system each day with a cleanout solution. This should then allow him to be clean the rest of the day.
Yeah, it isn't ideal, but it's better than anything else available.
The biggest setback has been Elijah's behavior and attitude. He is really angry. He understands to a degree what will happen in the coming weeks. He is embarrassed about the constant accidents between now and then, even though he knows he can't help it. He hits me sometimes for no reason, other than he knows he's angry. He told his brother that he wished God would break his bowels too (This happened when he was having bladder trouble too.) I think it means he feels like he's being picked on. There is only one other child in the area that the surgeon knows of that has had a MACE procedure. So we are kind of lost as to how to help a five year old, who doesn't reason very well be okay with everything going on.
PRay for our whole family. Patience is needed. Sleep is needed. Faith is needed. We feel blessed in many ways this year, but it is still a big, big strain on the family. January will be hard. We know God is in this, and are thankful for the big and little ways, He has been seen - providing a surgeon locally; a youth pastor who is willing to talk with Elijah; giving us peace and rest; providing a telephone that rings with new customers, although I have no time to go drum up business, all of our guys are very busy. There's more I haven't counted. Thanks for praying, thanks for encouraging us when you see us.
