The "Yuck"

I have gotten to the point where I have time to actually post about Jack's stomach issues.

Last Saturday, upon waking up and eating breakfast, Jack threw up.  Threw up his entire breakfast right where he was sitting in his highchair.  Poor little guy.  He seemed fine after that though and wasn't running a fever.  In the next hour, he threw up two more times, mostly bile/water.  At that point, I got a little concerned and so I called my mother-in-law.  She hadn't fed him any new foods at her house the day before and he hadn't gotten into anything weird.

Since my son has had a stomach virus before and the hospital explained how to go through a re-hydration routine, I decided to try that.  I gave Jack half a Zofran tablet, waited minutes and then started him on small doses of Pedialyte mixed with grape juice.  Note: We didn't have any in the house so my mother-in-law stopped by with some liquids and some saltine crackers.  How nice of her!  Jack seemed fine after that but we still took it easy for the rest of the day.  I gave him very bland foods (crackers, non-acidic fruit like bananas, etc.) and his regular milk and he seemed fine.  No more throwing up. 

Saturday night he went to bed as usual.  Jason went out on Saturday night.  I woke up around 12:30 and decided to go check on the little guy.  He had completely flipped himself around in his crib because he had thrown up and didn't want to lay in it.  First, cue the bad mommy feelings.  I didn't even KNOW he had thrown up.  He didn't fuss or cry or anything. 

I then had to get him undressed, cleaned up and re-dressed.  He must have been so tired because I picked him up from his crib and laid him down on his changing table and he didn't even fuss.  Normally he hates being changed in the middle of the night be he seriously just laid there and didn't move.  I decided rather than stripping down his crib and changing the sheets in my blurry state, I would just bring him to bed with me. 

I texted Jason and he came home immediately.  He really didn't need to since Jack was sleeping but he did and I am grateful.  He brought a towel in to lay under us and no sooner did he do that, Jack threw up again.  I don't think I got much sleep the rest of the night since I was so worried about my boy.

Sunday was fine.  I didn't give Jack milk.  At the ER they said that milk is hard to digest and can irritate their little stomachs.  I had remembered that and followed through.  Jack didn't throw up all day on Sunday and seemed fine.

Monday he went to daycare and had milk - I thought it was fine since he was fine all day on Sunday - and threw up at breakfast and pooped through three pairs of pants.  I had to go pick him early because he ran out of pants.  Sigh.  I called the pediatrician and talked to a nurse that I didn't really love.  She made me feel pretty stupid but explained I should keep him off milk for 24 hours.  When I explained I had been doing that and he threw up as soon as it was reintroduced, she disagreed with me.  Apparently I am a liar.  He had no milk for afternoon snack, dinner or before bed in the hopes to give his little tummy a break.

Tuesday:  No milk, no puking but still had the diarrhea. 

Wednesday:  I told daycare that if he was able to keep his breakfast and morning snack, he could have milk for lunch and afternoon snack.  At lunch, it would be over 36 hours with no milk.  He did fine.  Except at dinner.  He threw up his entire dinner in his highchair.  Sigh sigh sigh.

Thursday:  I called the pediatrician because at this point it seems it's been a long time for this virus to clear up.  The better nurse was much more helpful.  She explained that stomach bugs can last weeks.  And it's not unusual for kids to be fine on cheese and other dairy but have a reaction to milk.  She suggested switching Jack to soy milk for a period of time to give his tummy a break and to give him yogurt to replenish the good bacteria in his belly. After a week on the soy he can start having milk again but slowly reintroduce it.  If he starts vomitting again, back off the milk.  If this all continues for about three weeks, he needs to be seen for a GI consult.

All this time I have thought maybe it was a lactose issue or milk allergy.  It still could be but I want to rule out the stomach virus first.

This whole long drawn-out story leads to this:  Jack now is on soy milk indefinitely.  At least now he gets his "milk".  He was upset at not being able to have it.  He gets a cup before bed which helps him sleep.  He hasn't been sleeping well which means this momma hasn't been sleeping well.

And to add insult to injury?  He now appears to have a cold.  Seriously, this child never can catch a break.  I am tired of this stomach "yuck" and I am sure Jack must be as well.