Oh good, no surgery. Wait...what?!

J had an appointment at the outpatient center at the hospital yesterday morning for an upper GI scan. We have been suspecting reflux for awhile now, but his doctor wanted to be sure that’s what we were dealing with before prescribing him anything.

It’s been pretty awful at times…for Julian and for us! I could tell he was in pain while he was screaming in my ear for an hour or two each night; he kept arching his back and getting the saddest look on his face. After doing some research on the trusty interwebs, I diagnosed him with silent reflux. (Didn’t know I had my e-MD, didja?) Then I just had to get his doctor to see it my way. Luckily, when I told her all the symptoms, she did.

It was so sad to see his little tiny body laying on a hospital table! I can’t imagine what it’s like for parents of sick kids who are in and out of the hospital all the time. Luckily, nothing was going to hurt him and his only complaint was hunger. He had to go without eating from the time he woke up until his appointment and he did NOT appreciate it.

After Julian sucked down his delicious barium cocktail, the doc looked at him on the x-ray and immediately we saw the reflux going up from his tummy to his throat. We saw it a couple more times and the doc said that yes, it definitely was reflux, so good news–no surgery.

I kind of laughed…I thought he was kidding. (He had already made a joke about using a rusty scalpel to get J to cry.) After I realized he was serious, I said “What? Really? He might have needed surgery??” Apparently, if it wasn’t reflux, it could have been a stomach problem that would have required my precious, little, tiny, baby boy to go under the knife!!

Thank God I didn’t know that going in or I would have been freaking out the whole time. (Or ready to take my baby and run if they said the “S” word.) So, long story still fairly long, he’s okay and we’re getting his prescription for Prevacid today. (And not a moment too soon…we had an hour-long reflux meltdown last night and another one at 6:00am this morning. )

If you made it through that medical epic, congrats. Here are some cute pics as a reward…

The face of Silent reflux...

Sittin' in the Bumbo

Hi Bee!

Uhh...whatever, Toucan.

Just like at Cedar Point!