How Dinosaurs Became Extinct

Yesterday I was having a conversation with one of Austin's nurses, we were discussing G-tubes. Yes, stimulating medical conversation over coffee that only another SN mom or a nurse would find interesting. I mentioned to him, while searching for some wood, that Austin has never pulled out his G-tube. Thank God!

That same nurse left early yesterday as I knew we were having a party for my dad's birthday and Austin would have more fun running around with his cousins and have LOTS of supervision from his aunts and uncles. You see where this is going, right?

About 6:00 in the evening my sister-in-law came to find me outside, she was fairly calm but she had a very worried look on her face. She had in her hand a Mic-Key button, fully inflated. She asked me, "Is this Austin's or Toby's?" As I was sitting with Austin in my lap, I was fairly certain it was not HIS, but I still touched his tummy to be sure.

Simultaneously, crazy thoughts were running through my head. No, he is fully clothed, that can't be his. How long has it been out? How did I not notice? How quickly can I get him undressed and get that back in? I was mentally preparing my route to his room; how long would it take me to grab the lube, the extra Mic-key, some water, a syringe?

Yup sure enough, it was Toby's button. Whew! We both let out a sigh of relief.

That could have been VERY bad for Austin. She thought, at worst, he would be leaking fluid everywhere. I knew that it was much more serious. I knew that his G-tube stoma could close up in a matter of minutes requiring a trip to the ER and possibly the OR depending on the length of time elapsed.



In either case a medical crisis was averted. Meanwhile, poor Toby is near death somewhere with his medical accessories strewn about.

As I mentioned recently, three weeks ago my mom got the scare of her life when she saw Austin walking around with a trach in his hand; it belonged to Toby. Then there was that scare in the high chair two weeks ago, but that time the trach in his hand was his own and it was my turn to be scared.

For such a little stuffed animal, Toby sure is causing panic around here. I think I may have to put him up high on a shelf and let Austin play with him only under direct supervision. He obviously needs his own nurse!

For centuries scientists have pondered how and why dinosaurs became extinct.



Well it is obvious: no trach, no feeding tube...how could they be expected to survive against a Two year old?


Thanks for peeking,