Tavin’s Tale

This is more of an update than a blog, because so many wonderful people, all across the WORLD, are praying for our son, Tavin. I’m so thankful for all of you!

Today we received the results from the bone scan, and not surprising, they came back perfectly fine.
Here’s what we’ve gone through and discussed with the specialist:

• Jan. 16 is when this all began with a trip to ER. They determined he was NOT constipated, but gave him an enema anyway. He was in excruciating pain as he tried to “go”
• Jan. 19 he went to his pediatrician and she determined he IS constipated and prescribed a laxative.
• Jan. 28 was the 2nd trip to ER, they did an X-ray on his stomach and informed us that he was NOT constipated. The amount of feces he had in his bowel was normal; however, his lower intestine was filled COMPLETELY with gas. They determined the laxative was making matters worse. They prescribed something else, which was only a 5 day regimen.
• Feb 4 we had to make an emergency call to our pediatrician who wasn’t on call that weekend. The on-call doctor recommended we buy “over the counter” laxatives because he sounds like he’s constipated. I explain everything. That the ER meds worked for the 5 days, but now we’re done and he’s back to being in pain. She refills the medication.
• Feb. 6 Tavin is in SO MUCH pain, that we had to make an emergency doctor’s appointment. Our pediatrician was out, but the doctor on call would see us. While waiting for nearly 35 minutes, Tavin writhed in horrific pain on the lobby floor, screaming in agony, only to be told the doctor was “too busy” to see us. We decided it’s back to ER, although we know we’ll get no answers there again, either. (This is also the day my mother was admitted in the hospital.)
• Feb 7 Another trip to ER, only to wait for an hour. We realized after all that had been done the last time, we wouldn’t get answers again, so we went to our Lifegroup and had Tavin prayed over.
• Feb 8 our pediatrician calls us and recommends we put Tavin back on the laxative and double the dose. She refers us to a GI specialist up at Children’s Hospital. We take a video of Tavin in so much pain that every time he stands up to walk, he collapses down in pain.
• Feb 9 is our first GOOD day with Tavin since the pain started. However, it just so happened, this was the day we went to see the specialist. The night before we took a video of Tavin in horrific pain so we could show the doctor. The specialist takes a strep test, a feces sample, and sends us to get an ultrasound done for a hernia. The specialist said that since Tavin looked normal that day, there wasn’t much he could do for us. He didn’t care to see the video, nor did he look at the X-ray we brought. Ultrasound was fine. No hernia. No strep. He’s NOT constipated.
• Feb 9 back to ER, because the specialist recommended that we take Tavin to ER every time he’s in pain to try and get a CT scan DURING his pain. On the way back home, Tavin’s pain started again and we rushed him to ER only to sit and wait. He had a bowel movement and it was done. ER was useless.
• Feb 17 Tavin has a colonoscopy and EGD, results are fine
• Feb 27 Tavin has a bone scan
• Feb 29  Results from bone scan are fine. We discuss dairy allergy, they say to try it, but after hearing more of Tavin’s symptoms, the PA from the specialist’s office determines that would not be causing these problems and it sounds like he’s constipated. When I asked if it’s possible Tavin is holding it in, she said with the laxative we give him daily, there’s NO WAY he could possibly hold it in. However, with the laxative we give him daily…HE’S NOT GOING either! But the pain, on the other hand, is not going away!

My child is screaming out in pain, and now he’s getting so used to it, he’ll hold his breath or put his hands over his face to keep from screaming! He even, instinctually, started doing lamaz breathing! While we are forcing him to go by spreading his legs wide open and holding him close as he sits on the toilet, he now screams, “NO! NO! NO! IT HURTS!! IT HURTS!! MOMMY, IT HURTS!!!!!!!!” Sometimes it works, but the last few days we’ve had no success.

So here’s the verdict: he’s constipated, he’s not constipated, he’s constipated, he’s not constipated, give him a laxative, no that’s complicating things take him off the laxative, put him back on the laxative, he’s constipated.

It’s not allergies. It’s not cancer. It’s not a bone infection. It’s not constipation. It’s not a hernia. It’s not strep. There’s no blood in his stool—so that’s something. HOWEVER…we did get results back that he has acid reflux. Go figure.

We’re at a complete loss; however, the pain is absolutely real and awful for Tavin to endure, for us to witness, as well as listen to on a daily basis.

So…now you all know as much as we do. Which isn’t much.