so her appendix was NOT perforated. THANK GOD! the surgeon said when radiology even sees a hint of such on the imaging (ultrasound) the report it as such. he did say that it was, in his words, "huge". i must say that even though i don't have a clue what one looks like when i compare the picture he took of it to the picture he took of her liver, i have to agree. man on man was she in distress. he said based on the size she had maybe 24 hours before it would have burst. and in that case instead of coming home today, she'd have been there for 5 to 7 days. wow!

last night, i thanked the surgeon for coming in (it was well after "business hours" and the "day surgery"  wing was empty; just my daughter and another girl in recovery when we arrived). he said, we were welcome but he had to come in for 2 others as well (the girl we saw recovering and a boy who arrived after my daughter went into surgery). i said -- wait -- 2 more appendecomys?! he said, yes -- this last one would be his 4th today. and added that Texas Children's Hospitals perform over 1200 appendectomies per year  (or, almost 4 a day). God Bless them!