We’re here at the hospital. Ella started having feeding issues after her 5pm feed yesterday. As the night progressed, it became apparent that she was in pain and would not tolerate formula. We gave her water and Pedialyte to keep her hydrated and even with that minimal fluid, her abdomen was distended and giving her problems. She was not consolable and the only time she would relax for a few minutes is if we vented her g-tube. When we did, lots and lots of bile came out, just like a previous photo I posted on the blog.

With us going on 3 weeks of feeding issues and no true resolve, we began to suspect something more serious. So when Ella continued to cry at 3am, we headed for the ER. After a belly xray, they noted some abnormalities. After sitting in the ER for several hours and taking 2 hours to put contrast in her system, we headed for an abdominal CT scan to dig deeper into the issue. They were looking for a possible partial or complete bowel obstruction and/or any other abnormalities.

Either way, they decided to admit us to the hospital. Once on the 9th floor with a great view of the mountains, it was about 3pm. We settled into our room and they just came in to let us know that the surgeons do NOT want to give her surgery. We are SO thankful. The abdominal CT scan did not give them reason or concern enough to warrant surgery. They did note that she has stool sitting in her intestine which can cause blockage and obstruction. For tonight, they have ordered an enema to clear her out, give her intestines a break and plan to reassess tomorrow. From what we can tell, it is likely we will be here another 2-3 days.

Right now, Ella is sitting in her crib enjoying her videos. Since she is just on an IV drip and not being fed via the g-tube, she is not in any pain and is in a good mood.

Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers. We will keep you updated as her hospital stay progresses.

Psalm 107:35 (NIV)
He turned the desert into pools of water
and the parched ground into flowing springs