Collin is doing great now, but we had a little scare this week...on Saturday I noticed that there was a hard bump under his diaper, and I thought it was a diaper rash so we started putting diaper rash cream on it. Then on Sunday is was a little bigger, and early Monday morning there was a little blood - so I immediately called Collin's pediatrician and we went in on Monday. It turns out that it was an abscess that was infected!
They really scarred me at the doctor's office because they told us that if it wasn't better by the next morning he would have to be admitted to the children's hospital and he would have to have surgery to drain it. Needless to say I was shocked that it was so serious - I actually lost it in the doctor's office & was balling when they told me (at first they told us that we might have to go over to the hospital that day). They talked to the surgeon and finally decided to give us a chance to let it drain at home so they sent us home with antibiotics, told us to keep a warm compress on it at home, and we had an 8:30am follow-up appointment the next morning.
By the next morning - after keeping him naked on the couch on a waterproof sheet with a warm compress all day :) I was really disappointed to see that it looked exactly the same as the day before. They had told me to pack our bags in case we had to go to the hospital, so I got up and got everything together - mentally trying to prepare myself that we were going to have to go to the hospital.
When we got to the doctor's office they confirmed that there was no change in the abscess and that it needed to be surgically drained. They called the surgeon and we were sent over to the Nemour's pediatric surgery center. I was a mess & Son wasn't able to leave work yet so Mrs. Kay (our wonderful Sunday School Teacher) met me at Nemour's since we were told that we may have to wait a while. We met with the surgeon and she gave us a choice - we could either admit him to the Children's hospital, put him under anesthesia, and have it drained in an operating room - but he wouldn't have been able to eat for several hours and he would have had to stay overnight in the hospital. Our other choice was to let her do the procedure in the surgical clinic - they wouldn't be able to put him out, and it might be painful, but he would be able to go home with us and it would take only a few minutes.
Fortunately Son got there at the right time so we could both talk about it together. It was a tough decision - and really hard for me to decide on something that might cause Collin pain, but we decided that overall it would be better for him to not have to go under anesthesia & to be able to come home with us.
Son went back with him while they did the procedure (I didn't think that I could handle it). He was out within 5 minutes, we fed him in the doctor's office, and he was back to himself within minutes. I really think that it was harder on us than it was on him. He has been fine ever since we got home and is enjoying the 3 daily warm soaks in the bathtub that we are supposed to give him. I don't think he knows that he just had surgery!
This has been a scary experience, but also a testament to the power of prayer. We have had an amazing group of family & friends praying for Collin throughout the whole ordeal, and I know that is one of the reasons that we didn't have to put him in the hospital & why he is doing so well.
Here is one of the prayers that our family friend, Brenda Cagle emailed to my mom - it is so sweet!
Dear Lord: I boldly ask you to please take care of little Collin's abscess tonight. I know Julie, Son and all who love him are worried. But we know He's in your hands and trust you to get it taken care of in the best way possible. If surgery is needed, please let him sleep in your strong arms and allow the doctors to work with you to completely remove it. However you move, please give his parents peace and calm assurance that you love him even more than they do and will protect him.
In the name of Jesus,
Amen.
Thank you again to everyone who has been lifting Collin up. What an amazing God we serve that he would hear our prayers and heal Collin!!
Julie
