Christina Haack and Tarek El Moussa’s Son Brayden Rushed Into Surgery to Treat ‘Rare’ Condition
Christina Haack and ex-husband Tarek El Moussa spent Mother’s Day in the hospital when their 6-year-old son Brayden had emergency surgery to remove his appendix and also Meckel’s diverticulum.
Both Haack and El Moussa shared photos of their son asleep in a hospital bed, recounting the scary incident. They reported their son’s condition was successfully treated surgically, and Haack said it was discovered early.
Christina Haack’s son is recovering after a ‘scary 12 hours’
Haack posted on Instagram that the family endured a “scary 12 hours” in the hospital. “Scary 12 hours for us parents + step parents. After being admitted to the ER, Brayden had to have an emergency appendectomy as well as removal of Meckel’s diverticulum early this morning,” she wrote.
“Nothing like seeing your child in excruciating pain,” she continued. “Luckily the surgery went well and he is recovering and in good spirits. The entire staff at Mission Hospital was amazing and we are all grateful it was caught early. Blessed to have 3 healthy + happy kids, caring family and friends and a husband who stands by my side. Happy Mother’s Day everyone.”
El Moussa shared a similar statement, adding that Braydon was recovering with Haack.
What did Christina Haack and Tarek El Moussa’s son Brayden have?
Meckel’s diverticulum is a rare congenital disability, occurring in only 2% of the population, according to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “Meckel’s diverticulum is a small pouch in the intestine wall, near the junction of the small and large intestines. The pouch is a remnant of tissue from the prenatal development of the digestive system. It is not made of the same type of tissue as the small intestine, but instead, is made of the type of tissue found in the stomach or the pancreas,” according to the hospital.
Meckel’s diverticulum produces acid, like the stomach. But when that acid comes in contact with the intestinal lining, an ulcer can form. If the ulcer ruptures, waste floods the abdomen, resulting in a serious infection called peritonitis. Additionally, the intestine can be blocked by Meckel’s diverticulum.
Some children present with abdominal pain and Meckel’s diverticulum can be life-threatening without treatment. The patient needs no further treatment or has long-term issues once repaired.
Tarek El Moussa has faced his own health scares
El Moussa shared on Instagram that he and the family were breathing a sigh of relief. “He’s such a strong boy,” he wrote on Instagram. “And of course, he told me he’s very excited to eat real food tomorrow, he’s obsessed with food just like his daddy.”
El Moussa faced his own health scares in the past. He is a two-time cancer survivor. And he was most recently diagnosed with celiac disease. “After my cancer history, we’re always checking on my bloodwork and my health and staying on top of things,” he told Today, referring to his 2013 thyroid cancer and then later dealing with testicular cancer. “I was having a lot of pain in my fingers and hands, and because of that my doctor just did a whole bunch of testing.”
Doctors diagnosed El Moussa with celiac disease, which meant he had to completely change his diet. “At the beginning, it was really, really difficult, because I didn’t know what I could and could not eat,” he said. “But like anything in life, time went on. By week three, I pretty much understood it.”
