Ben, Ben, Ben.....

WARNING: This post contains details that may not be suitable for those with a weak stomach.

So we had our first trip to the Morges Emergency Department last night. I guess not bad considering we've lived here for 1 1/2 years. It was quite the experience beginning to end.

So after daddy/son day we were preparing supper at about 6:30ish. Ben had to go to the bathroom so I put him on the toilet. He enjoys sitting on the toilet and often I have to make him get off the toilet! So last night he peed and pooped and I tried to get him off, but he convinced me that he had more. So I let him sit there and he was really pushing and straining. I looked down and said, "Wow, you really have a big one." Then he said, "It hurts, it hurts". I looked again and realized that it wasn't a bowel movement that I was seeing, but rather his actual bowels protruding from his bottom! I yelled for Dan and we moved fast. He wrapped Ben in a blanket, I called the neighbors and sent Zoe and Sam on their way. Through this all Ben remained very calm and truly didn't seem to know that it looked like he had plum sticking out of his rear.

We got to the hospital and Dan brought him in while I parked the car. We were seated in the waiting room and that is when we had the courage to take another look. To our surprise it had all gone back in, probably due to Ben's complete relaxation. Then we sat. After at least 30 minutes we were seen by a nurse and Ben was examined. The nurse spoke fairly good English. Then we had to wait for the doctor. We waited...for at least another 2 hours. Everyone in the waiting room got their English language lesson that night because Ben NEVER stopped talking! At one point he was singing, "Bob the Builder....YES WE CAN!" It was hard to tell if people were annoyed or thought he was cute.

Finally we got to see a doctor. She was very nice, but was clearly not comfortable with using English. Although she tried and with Dan's French we were able to explain what happened. She didn't seemed too alarmed. She looked at Ben's bottom and said everything looked fine. That was about it. So we left kinda feeling, "HUH?"

At times the internet is a real lifesaver. Dan did a search this morning and learned that what happened to Ben is called a rectal prolapse. We learned of symptoms, three of which Ben had been exhibiting. We learned what we need to do to keep this from happening again. He needs more fiber in his diet and the biggest thing we read again and again is that kids this age need to be using a potty chair on the floor. In fact, they should use one of those as long as possible. Ben had been using the ring on the toilet seat and I must confess over the last few weeks wasn't even using that. He was just straddling the toilet and thus really putting stress on his bowels. I just say this for those of you that have little ones just starting to use the toilet. Please use a potty seat on the floor. I know they are a pain to clean, which is why I wasn't using it, but I don't want any of you to have to witness your child's insides on the outside. It was the scariest thing I've ever seen as a parent. Ben seems to be fine and we are praying that it won't happen again.