Joy-Anna Duggar Tells Nerve-Racking Story Of Daughter Evelyn's Hospital Visit

No longer just one of a famous set of siblings, Joy-Anna Duggar Forsyth is a young wife and mom navigating all the joys and headaches of motherhood. Hers are among the Duggar family's most relatable parenting moments, and the most recent installment of her weekly vlog is among them. No matter what your opinion of the Duggar family (and people have plenty!), it's hard not to empathize with a mom whose child may be seriously ill.

The August 25th post of "Follow the Forsyths" started calmly enough. Joy and several of her siblings are taking swim lessons to help them feel more comfortable in the water. (Per The U.S. Sun, an episode of "Counting On" featured dad Jim Bob Duggar admitting many of his middle children never got much of a chance to swim.) Then things took a much more serious turn. Narrating from her car as she drove, Joy revealed a medical scare involving her daughter, Evelyn — the day before the little girl's third birthday, no less. 

On the evening of August 20, Joy was at church choir practice when her husband, Austin Forsyth, called her to report Evy was spiking a fever, curled up in pain, and wailing that her stomach hurt. Joy turned to the best expert she knew — her mother, Michelle Duggar — for advice. Having raised 19 children, Michelle knew it was possible Evy's pain might be appendicitis. "My mom's like, 'Well, you don't want to mess around with this kind of stuff,'" Joy explained. So off the Forsyths went to the ER.

At the hospital, the medical staff examined almost-birthday girl Evelyn Forsyth and agreed her stomach pain needed further investigation. A doctor ordered an ultrasound and X-ray to rule out appendicitis and intestinal blockage. The idea of her daughter having such a severe health issue sent Joy-Anna Duggar Forsyth into a flurry of tears and fervent prayer. "I was like, 'Lord, please let it not be anything else,'" she said on her YouTube vlog post. "My mind was going to all the what-ifs — what if it's this, what if it's that? I was just, like, super anxious." Needing support, Joy texted a friend, who urged her not to obsess over possible worst-case scenarios that hadn't happened.

It took more than five hours (as often happens with ER visits), but the Forsyths finally got the answer they'd been hoping for. The doctor determined Evy simply had a bad case of constipation, or as Joy put it, "It's just poop." The family returned home in time to rest before celebrating Evy's third birthday the next day with balloons, waffles, ice cream, and presents. (One mystery gift they picked up at the post office apparently needs to be assembled.) The Forsyths are having a slightly bigger party with guests over the weekend of August 25. "So thankful Evy is feeling 100 percent now," Joy narrated. "She's regular — I'm sure y'all love to know that! — but I'm thankful we did take her in when we did."