Surgery keeps boy away from home during Christmas

An unexpected surgery will keep one Sedalia boy away from home this Christmas.

Dalton Shepard, 9, underwent an emergency appendectomy Sunday in Kansas City after falling ill during his school holiday program.

Dalton, who attends fourth grade at St. Paul’s Lutheran School, was scheduled to perform a solo at the Dec. 17 Christmas pageant. According to Dalton’s father, Fabian Shepard, Dalton had been asked to sing “Someone Special” as the final number in the school program.

“His teacher wanted to showcase his ability,” Fabian said. “He is a really beautiful singer.”

Moments before the show was scheduled to start, Dalton began vomiting. Fabian said he and Dalton’s mother, Angie Coffey, attributed the sickness to nerves. Fabian said Dalton ran to him and wanted to be held when he arrived at the school.

“That is atypical of him,” Fabian said. “Dalton is usually a rambunctious Dennis the Menace type.”

After some encouragement from his family and school staff members, Dalton agreed to take to the stage for the performance. However, after delivering his speaking line, he left the stage.

“He (Dalton) said he just couldn’t sing the song,” Fabian said. “So, I laid some mats down in the
kindergarten room and he went to sleep.”

Following the show, Fabian brought Dalton to Overland Park, Kan., to celebrate Christmas. Fabian said he slept with his son that night because he complained of stomach and neck pain.

“We thought he had hurt himself violently retching,” Fabian said.

On Dec. 18, Dalton said the pain had begun to subside and he was able to eat a light breakfast of mandarin oranges.  Fabian said Dalton was excited about a party planned for the evening and spent some time harvesting pine cones with his sister.

“He really wanted the party,” Fabian said. “We thought everything was good.”

But, worry set in once again when Dalton sat out much of the party’s activities and refused cake.

On the morning of Dec. 19, Fabian said he and his son had planned a special shopping trip to purchase a BB gun.

“Dalton was so excited because he really wanted that gun,” Fabian said.  But, the shopping trip was short-lived when Dalton lost interest and asked to go home. Fabian said he decided a trip to the emergency room was needed when his son began complaining of orange urine.

“Red and yellow make orange,” Fabian said. “I knew something was wrong.”

The Shepards spent seven hours in the emergency room before learning Dalton was suffering from appendicitis and would need surgery.  

Fabian said Dalton’s appendix perforated  near his colon before they could transport him to Children’s Mercy Hospital.

“I was not a happy dad,” he said.

Dalton underwent surgery on Sunday at 10 a.m. Fabian said the surgery took about two hours.  

“He was pretty septic,” Fabian said. “The surgeons had to clean him out.”

Fabian said Dalton is slowly recovering , but will have to spend Christmas Day in the hospital.

“He is doing better,” Fabian said. “We plan to bring Christmas to him.