Clara’s bowel has a small pipe inside which connects to a soft tube protruding from her tummy. What would be her poo, but is really just milky stomach acid, comes out here into a bag. (The picture below showing the bag has been purposely left upside down and flipped to make it a bit less gross if you’re not used to it like we are!)
The bag is emptied every six hours and the content is measured. For the last week there has been around 25 millilitres+ of liquid waste every six hours. In the nine hours since her last check, there’s been nothing.
This can mean a number of things (and more Im not aware of I’m sure!). We’ve ruled out a kink in the external tube. It could be a blockage in her internal pipe – this would need flushing out (currently I don’t know how this is done). Or worse case scenario, a leak. I really really hope 25 millilitres of stomach acid waste has not leaked inside her as its incredibly damaging and would cause other problems.
Clara has been acting normal, has been comfortable in bed and having cuddles, and has been as alert as she’d usually be. (And who wouldn’t be alert when surrounded by so much pink!?)
We are still in intensive care as there was a paperwork confusion yesterday evening. The assumption still currently stands that we are moving to the children’s hospital today, they’re just sorting out a room for Clara.
We are waiting on the surgeons to come and assess Clara – they’d been bleeped a number of times since 11am with no response so they must have been in theatre. At 1pm they said they were on their way but no sign yet. I can’t express as I want to be ready for whatever they say needs to happen next, I certainly can’t think about having lunch despite the insistence of the nurses.
Writing this down, as usual, helps pass time, balance my worries, and clear my thoughts.
We knew the risks of having a pipe inside her bowel, hopefully there’s a straightforward answer to our latest worry.
UPDATE: At 2.20pm Clara passed 25ml of stomach waste in 20 minutes rather than over the usual six hours. She’d clearly been holding onto it! The surgeons arrived at 7pm and weren’t worried – they didn’t think it was a blockage, they suggested it was her position. I disagree, she had changed position lots today as she slept on both sides, was in and out of her cot for cuddles, and was even held upright whilst I put her dress on. But regardless, she’s passing waste as normal again so I’m so relieved. I’m so so thankful it was nothing worse.
Clara and the Gutcracker 