WARNING: This post is not for the squeamish. So there’s your disclaimer.
Yesterday, Junior Mock’s best friend and caregiver took him for his first post-surgery physical therapy session. Thursday night, he’d had a bad night, which was his first in a few days. But, as usual, since he can’t talk, we were left to wonder what in the heck was bothering him. At therapy, we found out the answer.
The therapist found a small, sharp plastic protrusion sticking out of his back. Yeah. The lower third of his scar still has some scabbed over parts – where it’s not totally healed, and apparently that’s pretty normal. What’s NOT normal is to have anything STICKING OUT OF IT. The odd thing was that he wasn’t bleeding or anything like that. He just had a piece of unidentified plastic trying to come out of his back.
So after several frantic phone calls back to the therapist, to Junior Mock’s caregiver, and the doctor’s office, we were finally told that he should be seen by the doc.
Junior Mock’s caregiver raced him over to the doc’s office, and the PA who saw him told her that it looked like a piece of the drain that they removed a few days after surgery had gotten caught on some of internal sutures during the removal, and was left behind. And before Junior Mock’s caregiver could even start worrying about them having to put Junior Mock under anesthesia again, the PA had grabbed a pair of tweezers and started to pull the drain out.
Turns out – it wasn’t just a small piece. It was freaking EIGHT INCHES LONG. Junior Mock’s caregiver nearly hurled. And there was all sorts of bleeding once the drain was all the way out. But Junior Mock? He just smiled throughout the whole ordeal. There was plastic tubing being pulled out of his body, his caregiver was about to throw up on him, and he just smiled.
That’s my boy.
Anyway, he’s now bandaged up again and hopefully doesn’t have any more surgical material hanging out inside of him waiting to make a dramatic exit. He had some trouble getting to sleep last night, but once he got a little tylenol, he slept from around 11pm till 6.30 this morning. YAY!
Oh, my goodness!! What an extraordinary child you have, Mock. I didn’t even squirm as I read that — all I could do was sit awestruck.
Oh poor Jr. Mock! No wonder he was feeling poorly. I would too!
These kids are amazingly resilient and tough. This just goes to show it. I’m glad the problem was discovered and *ahem* removed.
Holy crap! The surgeon would have my fist in his face! You’re a better woman than I am. What a doll Jr. Mock is. Big kisses to him.
I am not in the medical field, or anything closely related, but I would think, that SOMEONE would have noticed that particular drain pipe was missing EIGHT inches! And possibly noticed there was a jagged edge on the end when it was removed at the hospital!!! Unbelieveable…
Holy Crap! It’s a wonder he didn’t get an infection. As a nurse, I also wonder why no one noticed that they didn’t get the whole thing upon removal. Nancy is exactly right. The end of every drain I have seen is distinct. I hope heads roll over this. It shouldn’t have happened.
I understand mistakes happen, but COME ON! 8 inches! And you would think they would take more precautions with someone who can’t speak. Poor Jr. Mock. What a trooper. You are a lucky woman, Mock.
aaaaaaaahhh! poor little pumpkin!! what a trooper. you BOTH i mean…
Maybe he felt relief, and that’s why he was smiling. Like the kind of relief you get when you pop a big zit. Painful, but the relief is worth it.
Oh holy moly. That is crrrazy! How could they MISS that???
What a sweet boy you have.
oh thank god they finally found what was going on whew and he slept last night for a long time *for me at least lol* thats crazy that when they were pulling it out they didnt know it was 8 inches shorter than it was when it went in…that would be the first red flag. hopefully his sleep will get even better(longer? lol) i hope he is resting comfortably now.
Your poor child! What has the hospital said to you to explain this horrible oversight? My heart goes out to him.
First, I was sad that he was uncomfortable.
Then I was surprised that a small foreign object might have been mistakenly left behind.
Next I was shocked to hear it was an 8″ foreign object. Time to have a chat with the doctor and/or hospital and ask for the inventory checklist from the OR and look for the missing check mark beside “eight inch tube removed” item in the list.
Shocking. Even more horrible given his physical and mental state. Mock you are amazing and so is he. God love ‘em.