Mic key Button Blues

Well, we have had a fun-filled weekend....not! Caed's complaining of his g-tube went from mild irritation to full out crying in pain. And a pain that Todd and I could virtually do nothing about. (I remember those days in the hospital and I hate them!) The last 2 nights have been really difficult for him. He would wake up in the middle of the night in severe pain, and we had no idea how to help relieve it for him. It seemed so simple. This button is causing him pain....so take it out!! Oh, that's what I wanted to do so badly! But, when you have a g-tube you can't just take it out or the stoma will begin to close up. (which would ultimately mean surgery again to fix it) Sure, we did the normal Tylenol drill, but that only goes so far. Last night, we were so very close to loading him up and heading for the ER so we could get a new button. But, praise the Lord he finally fell off to sleep.

Basically the prognosis is that he has outgrown his current g-tube. Because of that, it has been pulled so tight up against the stomach wall and possibly even into the stoma tract. There is a water filled balloon that is inflated on one end of the mic key, and that is what has been causing the pressure and irritation.

Long story short.....we received a new mic key button this afternoon (thanks to the efforts of our beloved nurse in NE). However, they didn't have the size we needed. So we went for the next one up. Let's just say it is WAY TOO BIG! It literally hangs out about a 1/4 - 1/2 inch. (which is a lot for mic keys) We put a layer of 4 split gauze pads underneath it to secure it in place. The good news is......it has seemingly relieved a lot of the pain he was in. Now if we can just find a button that fits! Antibiotics and other medications are still be discussed as possibilities if he continues to have problems. But, for now....we will pray a new mic key is all that was needed!