10 Oct GI Endoscopy Tomorrow
I’m sorry it’s been awhile between posts. Keegan has been home but not doing so well since he was discharged from the hospital. He was having a lot of diarrhea, has been vomitting, and has been in a lot of pain lately. He hasn’t been eating much, and he has been very tired and cranky. Until last night, he had not slept more than a two-hour stretch for almost a month (last night, he made it from 1am to 7am when we had to wake him for an appointment).
On Monday, we went to the pediatrician for a follow-up from his last hospitalization. Keegan had lost even more weight than he had the week before (he now weighs the same as he did in June, 16.5lbs), and he had spiked a low-grade fever twice. She gave us a referral to a GI specialist, Dr. Kendall Brown, at Medical City Dallas, who was at Children’s for many years. Both our pediatrician and transplant team highly recommended him. However, his office said he did not have an appointment opening until Oct. 20. The GI clinic at Children’s couldn’t see us until November!
The pediatrician sent us home to see if Keegan improved the next day, and when he did not, Gray and I insisted that something be done. We were not going to allow Keegan to continue to be in that much pain for any longer. Calls from the team and pediatrician were made, and after speaking directly to Dr. Brown, he insisted that Keegan be seen this morning at 8:30am to schedule additional testing. Everyone agreed that while the c-diff had complicated things as of late, it did not explain his chronic issues, as the c-diff didn’t occur until last month. This morning, Dr. Brown examined Keegan and talked to us for a long time about Keegan’s history and symptoms. He scheduled Keegan for an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (upper GI endoscopy and biopsy) tomorrow at 12:30pm. This will be performed at Medical City Dallas, not Children’s.
Gray and I are quite relieved that all of Keegan’s doctors are on board with pinpointing this problem, and we are very happy that Dr. Brown sees the urgency in diagnosis and treatment of Keegan. We have been very frustrated for months, knowing in our hearts that something was wrong but not having any of the doctors take us seriously. We are anxious to help Keegan begin to grow and feel like his normal, happy little self again!
PRAYER REQUESTS:
1. Please pray for an uncomplicated procedure tomorrow. Since this is being performed at Medical City, Keegan would have to be admitted there if any problems should arise. We have complete confidence in Dr. Brown, but we are nervous about having Keegan treated outside of CMC. The transplant team has given Dr. Brown clearance and support, and we ask for prayers that this goes well.
2. Please pray for a sure diagnosis and treatment plan from this procedure. As we said above, we are anxious to have Keegan on the road to recovery and know how to help him get there.
3. Please pray for a simple diagnosis (this is straight from Dr. Brown). He told us to pray that it is a simple inflammatory or infectious problem, easily treated by a short-term medication.
4. Lastly, please pray for comfort and rest for Keegan. He has been so restless and in so much pain. We ask God to grant him the rest and strength he needs to face this procedure, the diagnosis, and treatment.
Thank you so much for your support and prayers. We know God has answered them time and again, and we know that He will not easily abandon Keegan, to whom He has given so much already. We will update tomorrow night with more information. Thanks again.
Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:25-30