That Poor Baby, Those Poor Parents

It all started on August 2nd, when I noticed Cecito’s left eye looked a little rosy. Ended up he had pink eye, in both eyes! We have no idea how this happened, no one else got it (thankfully!). I started washing everything after one brush with Cecito. I was even using wipes on my face, neck, shoulder and arm every time I nursed and burped him. After adding on a couple loads of laundry a day with a two year old…I was a walking zombie. Plus, Gil and I were getting along great. (insert sarcasm right there)

Here’s how it all went down:

1. Congestion, some kind of viral cold (nothing to even worry about)
2. Clogged tear ducts in both eyes
3. Double pink eye (meaning both eyes)
4. Skin infection under left eye
5. Infected tear duct in left eye
6. Abscess in left eye from #5

He was prescribed an oral antibiotic and an ointment for #3 through #5. When that wasn’t working, after two days, we switched to a stronger oral antibiotic and eye drops. Then #6 happened and it ended up needing to be drained by the pediatrician. At this point we were a week and a half in and scared to death! I was at the doctor’s office or on the phone with a pediatrician every other day.

Magically everything started to clear up, we were ready to throw a party. Then, four days later the left eye started to look red where the abscess was. I called the doc and we started the drops again. It didn’t look bad until the next day when it looked like the abscess again. I was petrified, to say the least. Unfortunately, it was a Saturday so we ended up at Children’s Hospital ER after a phone consult with the on-call pediatrician.

We were diagnosed with:
7. Dacryocystitis 

I learned a new way to express the infection and we kept on with the drops. Luckily we already had an appointment set up with a pediatric ophthalmologist. (from over a week before that) So, a few days later we went to that. The wound from the abscess being drained almost 2 weeks prior had broke open again and the ophthalmologist was livid with the choice of care for our little guy. He recommended surgery immediately and we decided it was the best course of action. His concern was that the new exit, through the skin, would compromise the whole tear duct system and we would end up with reconstructive surgery instead of  the minor one he was suggesting.

So, three days later we took our little bundle, of exactly 9 week of life, into the hospital. The surgeon was set to probe both tear ducts, in the nose. Then drain the left and put in a stent. When all was said and done it was the best thing we could have done for him. Afterwards the procedure was done the surgeon came out of the room completely pumped from the exciting surgery. He said the left was tough to probe, but he got it through and the duct closed immediately around the stent. AND a ton of infected gunk and blood oozed out of the nose and eye!

Now we are all home. Cecito has recovered beautifully. We are all very relieved. In another 3-4 months the stent should come out and we will hopefully be done with this chapter.

Pink eye and skin infection. He looked like a baby boxer.
Pink eye and skin infection. He looked like a baby boxer.
The start of the abscess on his inner eye.
The start of the abscess on his inner eye.
Getting better, we were so happy.
Getting better, we were so happy.
Completely thought we were in the clear...
Completely thought we were in the clear…
Then this happened again! It was twice this size the first time around. (sad face)
Then this happened again! It was twice this size the first time around. (sad face)
Draining out of the hole and his eye after going to the ER.
Draining out of the hole and his eye after going to the ER.
What the specialist saw and why he recommended surgery.
What the specialist saw and why he recommended surgery.
Two days after the surgery (today).
Two days after the surgery (today).

 

9 thoughts on “That Poor Baby, Those Poor Parents”

  1. oh my goodness. that is awful! I am so very glad everything is healing. What a hard first bit to his long and happy life. I hope he heals super quick and you get some much needed rest. wow.

  2. I’m so glad he’s doing better! That is definitely a scary thing to have to deal with during infancy! I hope he keeps recovering well and quickly too!

  3. I came your post this when googling dacryocystitis. My son had this at 4 months and now (after surgery) has it again at 17 months. What surgery did your son have? My son got a tube put in. I was just curious as it seems not very common.

    1. Hi Jehan, I’m so sad to hear that it came back for your son. My son had the common probing procedure that will happen after 12+ months if the eye is still getting clogged. It’s most definitely rare to have so much infection at such a young age. Everyone involved with his care was upset while a lot of blame was being thrown around, but the procedure worked for him. Our ophthalmologist came out of the surgery saying it was one of the tough ones that he rarely sees. I’m incredibly surprised that your son’s duct is clogged again with a tube being put in. So sorry you are going through this with your little one.

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