In July we decided to go see a GI doctor. Jacob had always had some stomach aches and we just wanted to figure out what they were from. We thought it was from an allergy but we went to the allergist and all their tests came back fine. So next step was the GI. They asked his history and after feeling around his stomach they told me its just constipation. So they gave us an order to up his fiber intake to 16 g a day and he should be fine. So we did that and nothing happened. So they told us just in case lets do some work. They sent us for a xray and some blood work. I guess I forgot to send them my new phone number when we moved because when the tests were done they were trying to call me but could never get a hold of me. So they called Tom at work and Tom gave them my new number. So they called me and said there is a significant amount of poop in his colon and he needs to do a clean out. So for 4 days give him 2 caps full of miralax 3 times a day and 2 chocolate xlax bars 2 times a day. So we got all prepared for this massive clean out and started it on a Thursday. That day...nothing happened. No poop...nothing. The 2nd day he only went 2 times. The 3rd day he went 3 times and the 4th day he went once. So I called them after the weekend and told them what had happened and that I didn't think it worked. They told me to try it again the next weekend. So I did. This time, the whole weekend, he only went 3 times! I had an appt with the doc on that Monday. When we talked to him I told him what had happened and he said well this obviously is not working. He started to write something down and then said to me "Go take this paper next door. Get an xray right now. If it shows poop still in there then we will have to admit Jacob and do a clean out in the hospital." So right away we went and took it over there and got the xray. The next day I got a phone call that said there was more poop in there than before and that the hospital would call me with a time to come in to do the clean out. A few hours later we were in the hospital!

When we got to the hospital there was a lot of waiting around. We got to the actual hospital at about 445 and finally got to our room at about 6. Well at 7 is when the nurses do their shift changes so no nurses really wanted to get started on anything because it was about time for them to go home. Then the night nurses came on board and they had to finish with all their patients first before they came to get us started. So finally at about 8pm they get to us. They tell us whats going to be happening with him and what they are going to do. About 845 they came back and took him away. What they did is they put in a feeding tube that goes from his nose all the way to his stomach. And then they put in an IV. I actually had to convince them to put in the IV because I didn't want him to get dehydrated. They gave him some relaxers to relax him and so that he wouldn't flip out when they put in the feeding tube. But he just started crying and wouldn't stop. Finally I convinced him to stop crying at about 10 pm because he wanted to go for a walk. I told him that there were too many sleeping kids and he had to be quiet because he would wake them all up. We actually had a roommate too. And I was worried he was going to wake up the other kid. They started his meds also. So it was pumping into him a stronger version of miralax. He couldn't swallow or close his mouth with the feeding tube in. It was so sad to see him like that.

We finally went to bed at midnight only to be woken up at 4 am by Jacob throwing up. I figured it was just because he was not used to the tube and it probably gagged him or something. Well then he threw up again...and again...and again...until 6 am. They gave him some zofran and then decreased the amount of meds being pumped into him and that was the end of his throwing up.

The next day (Thursday) we said good bye to our roommate...who's name was also Jacob. And we were roommate free the rest of our stay there. That day was also full of lots of pooping and diaper changes and stomach cramps and LOTS of tv and disney movies. My wonderful friend Erin came and brought Jacob some fun toys to play with and that kept him entertained.

Friday came and was all the same as Thursday. Lots of bed changes and diaper changes. However this time the poop started to become less and less. They told us we could go if his poop was clear...which meant there was no "rocks" or specs it was just basically pooping out the meds that they were giving us. Finally about noon he started doing that. They told us he had to have 3 poops that were clear. We did that around 2pm and then they took him at about 3pm to get an xray. If it came back that there was nothing in his system we could go! So at 4 we were released to go because everything had come back fine.

It was such a scary experience for him...and me. I do not enjoy seeing my kid in the hospital that's for sure. But we have a great support system and I am so thankful for everyone who prayed for us and who called and visited.