Health Challenge No.2: Anal Fistula

Yesterday I used to write about how sick I am with the bad flu that I've got! Surprisingly, my four other colleagues whom I've last met in a meeting last Friday got the same monstrous bug! Today, another health challenge awaits me as I was informed that my son who is currently staying at the province needs to undergo fistulectomy - a surgical method to take out anal fistula and stop his recurring peri-anal abscess. He had peri-anal abscess when he was only about 2 months old then recurred when he was about a year and 2 months old then recently in the past few weeks. We've tried giving him antibiotics for the first week but unfortunately it wasn't enough to alleviate the abscess away as hardening in some part of his butt was already felt by the doctor initially but we agreed to have it under observation until he finishes his antibiotics within the next week.

My son is barely 3 years old! Barely a tenth of my age and he will have his first operation! I still remember my first operation when I was about to give birth to him via caesarean method at 25 years old. I was quite hesitant at first with having my little toddler undergo the knife but I guess I have no other choice but to willingly oblige to do so and pray hard for a safe and successful operation.

What worries me a bit is that my son has a communication disorder wherein he has a delay in using language as a form of communication compared to kids his age. He can't even say to us if he is sick or if he is hurt.. We just increase our sensitivity to his feelings and carefully observe if he feels any pain or hurt.

Our son was initially diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. I've sought other opinions from other developmental pediatricians and majority of them gave an initial evaluation of my son as someone with communication disorder. One of them wants to rule out Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) when my son turns 3. PDD-NOS is the fourth type within the autism spectrum.

We are all doing various intervention methods necessary to help our son overcome his situation and increase his level of individualism and independent living knowing common misperception of other people when someone labels your child "autistic rather than someone with autism and the lack of understanding many have on how people with autism are like normal people but sees things in a different perspective.

My son has been through a lot! He has lots of allergies encountered when still a baby, overcame his Kawasaki Disease when he was a year and a half, diagnosed with a developmental delay when he was 2 and now will undergo a minor operation barely 3 years old.

I pray for strength for myself and better physical health for my son. I pray hard for a safe and successful operation for my little boy as well as a speedy recovery post op and i pray for shield of protection from any illnesses that might come his way.