Hannah's Big Battery Adventure

Hannah was playing in the office before church yesterday while Peter was studying his scriptures. We have a little calculator in there that she likes to play with and pretend that it's a phone. I've seen her playing with it several times and have honestly thought that it was really cute that she likes to pretend it's a phone. I've also seen her throw the calculator on the ground. When she does that sometimes the little battery cover comes off and the battery has popped out.
Yesterday Marshall found the little battery cover loose on the floor. Then I looked for the calculator and found it without the battery. We all looked all over the floor for the battery, but could not find it anywhere, and I started to get nervous that maybe Hannah swallowed it, since she likes to put things in her mouth so much. I knew that couldn't be a good thing. I then did a quick google search online to find out what to do if you think your child swallowed a battery. The AAP recommends getting your child checked out immediately, because if the battery leaks it can cause a chemical burn which can be very serious. While we continued looking I called our pediatrician's office. I was on hold with them for about 9 minutes, and in the meantime we decided that we better get her to the emergency room to get her x-rayed and find out if she really ate it.
Peter took her to the hospital and I finished getting the boys ready for church. Then we walked to church and I played the organ and waited for a call from Peter. While I was on the stand with the organ my phone rang twice (I had set it to vibrate), and it was all I could do to not answer it. As soon as sacrament was over I checked the messages, but neither of them were from Peter. I went outside to call and Peter said that they had just x-rayed her and found out the she did indeed swallow it. It was at the juncture of the stomach and esophagus. The real danger is them getting stuck in the esophagus and leaking and causing a chemical burn. They wanted to transfer her to Children's Hospital so they could do an endoscopy to get it out. He was going to pick me up in a few minutes and we would take her there together. I went back to ask Eliza Damstedt, who was sitting behind us, to watch the kids while we were gone. Peter also asked if Brad could come out and help Peter give Hannah a blessing.
Once I got back outside, Peter called again and said that they were going to transport us by ambulance to make the process go faster. Brad then drove me to the hospital (thank goodness it is close!) and came in and gave Hannah a blessing.
After a lot of waiting, I ended up going in the ambulance with Hannah while Peter drove our van separately. It was my first timein an ambulance. They put me on a stretcher and had me hold Hannah. She was so tired that she slept the entire way and only woke up when I got off the stretcher at the other hospital.
They then ordered another x-ray. This time the x-ray showed that the battery had moved into the stomach, so they wouldn't have to do an endoscopy after all. In this case they would just let the battery pass through her system on its own.

Hannah in her little hospital gown.

So, after two x-rays, an ambulance ride, and lots of worry and prayer, we just have to wait for Hannah to poop it out.
I'm so glad that she's safe and OK. All kinds of scary thoughts went through my head. I won't relax all the way until I know that it's out of her system. I've been giving her some Miralax and Benefiber to help move things along a little bit, since she's been somewhat constipated for the past few weeks. If it's not out by Friday I need to call the doctor again, but I'm hoping it will be out before then.
We checked out of the hospital and went back to church just as it was ending. Marshall and Spencer were already in the Damstedt's car and ready to go to their house. Eliza invited us over for dinner after our stressful morning. They are a very nice family and always serving others.
I keep giving Hannah extra long hugs and reminding myself how lucky I am to have such a sweet girl in my life. I'm also glad that that was our first trip to the ER for any of our kids, and my first ambulance ride. I'm hoping it was the last.

ETA: She pooped it out!  The battery made its reemergence on Wednesday, September 21, in the morning.  I've never been so happy to find something in a diaper before. Good job, Hannah!