Post appendix nightmare - anyone got any advice

[Mascarponeandwine]

My 11yo son had his appendix out by keyhole surgery 10 days ago and life has been a nightmare since. In and out of hospital 3 times, now been in since Thursday. He has a wound infection (subcutaneous?) but ultrasound didn’t show a large mass, and his temperament keeps spiking. He’s been on two lots of iv antibiotics but tbh it’s not really making a difference. No preexisting conditions and the doctors can’t work out what’s happening with the temperature spikes. Feels like all this is far worse than the appendix symptoms. Anyone know anything about this - will it ever end?

Oh no OP. How awful for you all. Hope the day gets better as it goes on.

They haven’t mentioned peritonitis. They said the infected appendix may have infected other tissue as it was take out during surgery?

DS now kipping in a chair. They said he has to start moving to get his bowels going and keep lungs healthy.

I’ll ask some more questions on the ward round later.

Peritonitis is when the stomach lining gets infected and inflamed, so it sounds like they're considering it even if they haven't used that exact word. I'm sorry his temp has gone up and that he isn't improving how you would like.

Oh you poor things .And now the dreaded bowels issue .Surgery and pain killers = constipation .

Lots of fluids ,dried and or fresh fruit .

I am thinking of your family all the time .

Tonight it’ll be 48 hits since the surgery. He’s sicked up a little bit of water today, twice. Not been sick before now, so another thing to add to the list.

Tomorrow they’re going to get him up as he should show signs of recovery then. I suppose they can assess whether he’s starting to improve.

Very hard - when we arrived at the hospital 2 weeks ago he felt fine, was happily playing Pokemon go with a bit of a tummy ache. Could do all the things that someone with appendicitis is not supposed to be able to do - hop on one leg etc. It’s been rapidly downhill since then and he’s now a mass of tubes and morphine. Really really hard to reconcile the two. What the hell happened?

I don't want to guess OP as I'm neither in the hospital nor a medic but honestly this doesn't sound like normal recovery from an Appendectomy. I had mine out at 16, developed peritonitis as it had burst on the table but I was home within 4 days. Do you feel the Drs are being honest with you?

Difficult to know. Impossible really. I’m going to ask more questions later, like does whatever he’s suffering from have a name. The consultant seems very good.

Oh OP,I know exactly how you’re feeling,it’s just such a time of despair.Hopefully you’ll see more improvement on him tomorrow.You’ll have to be strong if he fights against getting up and moving around,my DS really resisted because he was so exhausted,but it’s so important to keep them moving.Hope your work are being decent too.

Time of despair, yes that’s spot on. Temp of 38 . He coughed up greeny phlegm earlier, the nurse said that’s because he’s been lying for too long so we are shifting his position every few hours. So am now worried about chest infection (but he’s on so many anti’b?)

We are not in intensive care though. Am on a children’s ward in a bay of 4. Good sign? (Grasping at straws)

Op are you in a specific paediatric hospital?

Yes, a large children’s hospital attached to a large teaching hospital in the south east. All the staff are paediatric (surgeons, registrars, nurses)

GOSH by any chance? Either way being in a paeds hospital you're in the best place

I just got him to blow in a straw and cough, as that’s what they’re telling me to do to clear his chest. The phlegm had blood in it. We await a doctor now.

Thank you all for talking to me. It helps having people to talk to. Dh and I take it in turns here as we have other kids.

What have his blood tests been like op?

Ok he had one this afternoon. Nothing out of the ordinary, crp a little raised. All SATS are ok apart from temperature and oxygen now dropping a bit

Nothing practical to add I’m afraid but I am thinking about your DS, you and the rest of your family and wishing you all well x

He will be getting excellent care I'm sure but it sounds like you need a good chat with the consultant .

People vary so much ,try not to compare his recovery with that of others .
Please don't forget to look after yourself and eat and drink what you can .Especially drink .

x

Thinking of you. It must be so scary but it sounds like an excellent hospital
Keeping everything crossed for you

DH is coming back in. I’m a terrified mess.

Just wanted to wish you all the best OP. Time goes soo slowly in hospital waiting for this test and that doctor. I do hope you've got something to distract you both a little bit. Here's hoping the phlegm is not too big a deal xx

The nurse said they think it’s a post op chest infection.

They are very common. The intubation required for surgery can leave people susceptible to chest infections. Hopefully they'll have him on the up soon.

Oh poor little man! It's not fair is it.

Goodness really feel for you.

Hopefully things will start to pick up but nothing helpful to add and that's the scary bit I guess.