here I am...

sitting in this comfy chair, where I have never sat before, at the Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City ,Utah. My precious little girl, Victoria, is lying in a bed hooked up to an i.v. of saline and morphine ,waiting for surgery to remove her appendix. Holy cow....just TRY being a sensible mother for ONE DAY. Two days ago, (Monday), she did not want to go to school...i have been thinking I would homeschool her, but still have not been sure of what is best for her...anyway she said her tummy hurt. I told her to drink more water and take some Vitamin C. Tuesday she happily went to school...came home and said her tummy hurt still, I suggested she use the bathroom, drink more water, and rest a bit. Wednesday morning, (was that today, or yesterday?) she became teary, still saying her tummy hurt, now explaining that she had had diarrhea for a couple of days. I gave the child HALF OF AN IMMODIUM, and SENT HER TO SCHOOL.

1 hour later, I got a call saying her tummy hurt a LOT and I should come get her. I put on my "public" clothes (like you sarah...have to be comfy at home!) and went to pick her up. we drove TWO BLOCKS and she said she felt sick, so I pulled over, yanked her out of the car, and in a moment, the grass held proof that she indeed needed to come home! By 11 o'clock she was yelping in pain about her tummy every 30 seconds or so, as i was calling ben and any friend I could to pray and ask for advice. Ben made it home around 4, and we were still not sure what to do with the sometimes-drama-queen. Finally we decided she should go in, as all of her symptoms fell in line with appendicitis.

HOURS later, we were settled into a room...we had arrived at the hospital at 7 p.m. She did very well while they inserted an i.v., drew blood from another site, and ran a CT scan which included a rectal catheter to fill her with fluid and make her appendix more evident. Quite traumatic for a tiny 9-year-old who doesn't remember ever having visited a doctor! It is now 4:30 am, and we may get an operation underway around 5:30. She is quite fearful about the whole thing, and has asked if they will cut the wrong thing or place, or what happens if she wakes up during surgery....i am praying she is OUT fast!!

so...tomorrow. (today?) I will post an update on how things are going. They say this is our home for the next few days or so..depending on the looks of things when they "get in there". hanks, everyone for your prayers and thoughts. if you have any funny jokes I could tell Victoria, I am sure she would love to hear them.