Our Recent Journey

Background:
Sometime more than two months ago, I noticed a small bump on Amaya's neck. It had a pimple like head to it but no redness. I decided I would watch it and at her next appointment I would have the doctor look at it. I wasn't too concerned about it. I even forgot to mention it to Chad. He found it a few days later and we decided again to watch it and have it checked out later.

About two weeks ago, I asked Chad to help me remember to call the doctors office and we would have it checked out just to make sure. We never made that call...I got busy and so did he and we forgot to remind each other.

Thursday, October 3oth
On Thursday night of last week, we noticed that the bump had gotten noticeably bigger. It was right before bedtime so we decided to call the next morning. (Thursday morning had started with me waking up to find that Amaya had thrown up all over the bed - raisins grapes and icky stuff that stains.) We still don't know if there was a connection. She didn't eat very well on Wed. night so I thought maybe something had upset her stomach.

Friday, October 31st
We continued to watch the bump throughout the day. We made a doctor appointment for Monday. All was seemingly good until about 5:30, Chad felt the bump and thought that it had gotten much harder and bigger. We had a bonfire planned that night but were willing to do to the doc office if they suggested it. They had an appointment early Sat. morning with our pediatrician but none Friday night so we took that one.
Amaya was a little more fussy than normal but no fever just a large bump on the side of her neck.

Saturday, Nov 1st.
Our doctor appointment was early and Chad had to park cars for the IU game so I went alone. The dr. wasn't too concerned since there was no redness on the bump at all. She prescribed some antibiotics for us and said we could give her tylenol or ibuprofen for the pain if she had any. She said she would refer us to a general pediatric surgeon at Riley for a check-up the following week.

Sunday, Nov 2nd
We went to church as normal and I gave her ibuprofen for the first time for the bump b/c she woke up and was a lot more winey than normal. Usually when I drop her off at the Children's ministry area she is ok but she didn't want me to leave and had to be pried from my arms. (Not normal for her).
In the evening I started to see some signs of redness around the bottom of the bump but the doctor mentioned that was just signs of infection and I assumed since she was on antibiotics it was working and doing it's job.

Sunday Evening

Monday, Nov 3rd
I got the call from the doctor's office that our appointment at Riley was for Thurs. @ 8:45. They said it was the earliest they could get her in. She had an appointment with Dr. West. She seemed ok but not truly herself. The bump got a little more red as the day passed.

Monday Around 3pm

Tuesday, Nov 4th
She woke up and the bump was even more red (more signs of infection which I thought the antibiotics was taking care of). Around evening sometime I sent this picture to my brother to see what his suggestion was. I talked to him the next morning. At that point it was red and shiny and I knew the shiny part was more infection.

11:30 on Tuesday

Wednesday, Nov 5th
Amaya had a very fitful night of sleep. Tossing and turning and crying but never waking up. When she finally did wake up, it had gotten much worse with a scab a the bottom of the bump and little white puss filled areas. I called the doctor and the earliest appointment they had was at 11:45 with one of the other pediatricians at our doc. office. I took it and then was trying to decide if I should just send Chad. I had a meeting I was supposed to be a part of at 11:30. I was thinking that Chad could take care of it since they would just check it out and tell us what to do next. I talked to my mom and she said I should go b/c what if they send you straight to the hospital. (I laughed and said yeah I should go but I never thought it would actually be that way.)
We were at the doctor's office forever!! Her appointment was right over her nap time so she was fussy and she hadn't eaten much except for snacks since breakfast so she was fussy about that too. While we were waiting in the outer waiting room, one of her puss sacks burst and ran out - it was just a small one but gross anyway. =)
We were taken back to a room but had to wait back there for what seemed like an hour (probably only half hour at most) but we gave her some crackers, water and fruit snacks to tide her over until we went home. We saw the other doctor and he said 'What does your afternoon look like?" We said - "Open." He didn't say much else except that he was going to call Riley to see if they wanted them to give her a shot of antibiotics or have her sent up right away. Then he left. He came back and said they wanted her to come and then he saw her with a fruit snack and said she has to stop eating right away b/c they wanted to do surgery. Dr. Franklin our reg. pediatrician came in and looked at it for a few minutes and said, "Wow, it didn't look like that on Saturday." That was pretty much it since the decision had been made to go to Riley already. We stopped at Target to get her a pacifier since she still sometimes took it on trips for when she was tired and then stopped at Taco Bell for food and we were on our way, just like my mom had said. =) (The pacifier did not work....she is over that now)

Amaya's neck on the way to Riley

We get to Riley and they pretty much get her in right away but we had to wait for the doctor on-call (Dr. Rouse) and he was on his way back to Riley from another hospital. He came in and looked at it and barely touched it and she we would be scheduled for surgery sometime between 8-10 that night. It was only about 3:30 at this time. Long time to wait.
At this point we were still unsure if we would have to stay the night. Dr. Rouse said his partner Dr. Engum would make that decision at surgery time so basically we wouldn't know until after the surgery. I was a little concerned b/c I had only a couple diapers with me at the time. Marty and LoraLee so kindly brought us dinner and some diapers that night and helped us pass the time. Chad's Mom also came along with Ron. Amaya's little bump was very infected now and you could see it getting worse and worse. We finally got the call to come upstairs around 9 that night. We talked to the surgeon for a few minutes and he explained what he was going to do and that she would most likely spend the night just for observation. We got her all ready and they gave her a relaxer (don't remember what it was called - starts with a V). She was sitting on my lap and all of a sudden the bump burst and it was pretty gross. They told us not to mess with it so it wouldn't make a bigger mess then it had.
We then gave her kisses and said good - bye and she just kind of looked at us - she was so tired and obviously the medicine was working b/c she was relaxed. =) The surgery itself didn't take long. It was about 1/2 before the doctor came back out and told us what had happened. The skin on the bottom was dead and therefore fell off. It left a hole about the size of nickle in her neck. The infection had spread into her neck leaving a hole inside the neck too. It was about the size of a small grape. We were able to go to the recovery room around 10:30 and see her - she was asleep which we figured.
They took her to a room and I waited until she was settled in and sleeping for the night and then about 11:45, I left and went to Marty & LL's house while Chad stayed behind in the little reclining chair. She slept that night until about 4 when Chad said he had to hold her but she did fall asleep again.

Thursday Nov 6th
I got back to Riley around 9 (a little later than I anticipated due to traffic - I'm definitely not "Indy Smart"). When I got there, Chad informed me that we will have to stay another night. They wanted to make sure we were prepared to change the wound dressing when we got home. That was another bubble burst for a short time. It just seemed like one thing on top of another. That morning around 11 they (nurses) changed the wound dressing for the first time and we just watched. It's heartbreaking to see your little baby screaming as they take out a piece of gauze from a hole in her neck. It took everything I had not to burst out in tears. The hole was "huge" even though we had been told it was.
We got through that and then I held Amaya until she fell asleep. She was still getting IV fluids at that time. She was also getting a dose of antibiotics through the IV. She slept for 2 1/2 hours while I held her. (Enough for me to watch two episodes of one of my favorite shows - "TLC's What not to Wear". ) Chad decided to drive back to Bloomington and get some fresh clothes and shower and take a small nap. During that time, the nurse said Amaya doesn't have to be attached to the IV anymore except for her doses of antibiotics. We were then able to walk around and distract her for a while when Chad came back. Marty and Jack visited again and so did Chad's mom. Again it was great distraction for us and her. =) She fell asleep earlier until they had to get her vitals and flush her IV after antibiotics again. Chad then took her and she fell asleep and I went to Marty & LL's house again around midnight to sleep there.

Friday, Nov. 7th
Early in the morning she was sound asleep and the doctor decided he needed to see the wound. =( He pulled back the tape obviously waking Amaya and after that she didn't fall asleep so soundly.
I got back to the hospital right around 8 and Amaya had forgotten the tape nightmare =) and was having fun playing that morning. Chad and I had to change her wound dressing for the second time. We basically realized that it would be easier for me to do that while Chad held her down. It was just something I had to do. I couldn't think about what I was doing. Anyway, we passed this test and we got to go home today. We left the hospital about noonish sometime and it was wonderful to be driving HOME!! It felt like more than two days. On the way home Amaya slept the whole time - something that she hasn't done since she was a baby. She does not like the carseat to sleep in. When we got back here, Chad's grandfather was here and so he played with her for a little bit. Chad then left to go do some things at the church and I decided to lay down with Amaya. She wasn't sleeping with me so I put her in her bed and she slept from around 2 until 6:30. Home must have felt good for her too. Her dressing change went well and she fell asleep again about 9:30 and slept until 8:30 this morning.

Today
Amaya is completely back to toddler normalcy now. She only protests during the wound changes...otherwise she is fine. We don't have to give her pain medication except for right before the dressing changes.

Her wound dressing after this morning.