Ups and Downs

Hi all,

Today has been a series of ups and downs for me, M+D.  Where to begin...

When M+D left me last night, I had had another episode of blood in my poo.  The doctors and nurses took this more seriously than they had been doing earlier on in the week and repeated my blood tests.  When Mum got to the unit today she found the registrar trying to put yet another sharp pointy needle in my left hand, my left hand again, my left hand again, my right hand, again, again, my right wrist. I could get to resent this if I was less good natured.
He asked Mum to sit down (bad sign) and explained that more blood had been in my nappy overnight and they had stopped my feeding, done an X-ray of my tummy and started antibiotics as they had to assume the worst - the dreaded NEC.

NEC = Necrotising EnteroColitis, almost literally 'gut rot'. It is the gut infection that can be very serious in babies. Mild NEC can be treated with antibiotics. Bad NEC requires surgery to remove the rotten bowel. It has killed three of my little friends whilst I've been on the unit. (Chelsea is a specialist unit which gets sent the worst NEC cases from a very wide area).

As Mum sat there, she felt her phone buzzing in her pocket, but ignored it as what she was hearing was much more important than any phone call and much more scary.  The Surgeons came to see me at this point and examined me and said that whilst I looked bright and bonny, the blood in my poo meant they had to treat for NEC even though it was unlikely and see how I was in 48 hours.  Humph - no food = cross Arthur.



Me blowing a raspberry! please note the lack of tubes!

Mum then checked her phone.  She had 2 messages saying 'Congratulations'.  It was 12pm and the results of her exam had come out.  She's passed and is now a Fellow of the Royal College of Radiologists (FRCR).  Wow.  Clever mum. 

Another up, is that my breathing has improved.  This is another reason to believe that I am too well to have NEC.  I had several hours off oxygen.  This may well be because I'm not being fed and my reflux has therefore settled down but we'll take all positives right now.

Cuddles with Mum and Dad were nice and I had my new dungarees on to keep my legs toasty.

So it appears I am a bit of mystery to the doctors at the moment.  The blood in my poo is worrying and definitely not normal but I appear too well to have NEC.  I could have a milk allergy (so not having food will help) or I might have something called a Meckel's diverticulum (but I'm a bit young).  In the meantime, the doctors are treating me like I have NEC as it's the most serious thing I could have and we'll see how I get on over the next few days.

Fingers crossed I'm just being mysterious!



I always have my name badge visible! (tee hee)

Love to all,
Arthur
xx