Friday morning around 11:30 am, Gavin started choking. He was crawling around on the floor by my work table, I picked him up. He started to vomit, I immediately held him horizontally so that he didn’t swallow any. Of course in the process, he hit me and the floor, but that really didn’t bother me. He still kept making sounds like he need to throw up more. Nothing foreign had come out, so I knew something was still wrong. My brain went into auto-pilot. I immeditaly called Scott’s mom to come be with Maddy. Then I called my mom, cause I knew Gavin couldn’t be in the back seat alone. The next call was to the doctor’s office, was I to go there or the ER. Gavin was normal color, a little irritible but not in danger at this point so need to call 9-1-1.

Side view

As soon as Paula came in, I handed Gavin to her so I could talk to the doctor’s office and get dressed. When my mom got here, we loaded into the car and went to Children’s Mercy South, which is now a full Emergency Department. They took x-rays. Even the x-ray tech noticed he wasn’t taking a deep breath. Finally the Dr came back in and said that indeed he had swallow something… a sewing needle or pin. Of course, immediently I was beside myself.
He told us he would get the paperwork and we needed to take Gavin to Children’s Mercy downtown, not. He wasn’t going to call an ambulance, but if we wanted him to, he would. Since my mom was driving Gavin and I, I wasn’t worried about that as I could sit in the back with him still.

When we arrived downtown, they admitted us right away. The resident surgeons came down and spoke with us. They were very suprised by Gavin, he was laughing and giggle at them. He had even fallen asleep in the car on the way down there. Shortly after they took us upstairs, we met with the anesthesiologist and the surgeon.  They explained everything that was going to happen.  We prayed with them as they were getting ready to take my baby boy in.  There is nothing worse than leaving your child with someone else knowing he’s going into emergency surgery.

The golden Christmas tree

The staff at Children’s Mercy totally amazing!  They took us over the Ronald McDonald waiting room, where were able to have some snacks as it was now almost 4 pm.  Lunch hadn’t been in the events, nor would I have been able to keep it down.  About 30 min after we left him, the surgeon called us into the hallway.  He held up a container and said this was what it was.  ugh  It was a Christmas Tree sequin, something I had given Maddy to craft with!   He then told us as soon as he got out of recovery, they would come and get us.

Finally, they came to get us.  We waited outside the surgery area doors, as soon as the doors opened I heard him crying.  They wheeled him around the corner,  he really wanted mommy just to pick him up. He was such a little guy on this gurney.  They wheeled him to his room, while we followed.  All the while the nurses kept telling him, just a few more minutes and we’ll put you in mommy’s arms.

We reached his room, where they got him in my arms, he immediatlly settled down and nursed a bit.  They had given him some pain medication when he woke up, so he was still very groggy.  He fell back asleep very quickly, but I didn’t put him down!  About an hour later he woke up, we got the disposible diaper (with him going into the OR they didn’t want our cloth to get lost) off of him and back into his comfy cloth one.  We played for a bit and snuggle the rest of the night.

Finally around noon Saturday they released us to go home!!!!  He is doing well and isn’t showing any signs of problems.

A big thanks to our friends and family that posted prayers and support as we going through the whole ordeal.