Herniated Belly button :(

My poor dd has a herniated belly button, and we've been told that it would fix itself which is beyond me since it sticks out all the time (so how the heck can it heal if her bowel is sticking out through the hole that is supposed to heal?). Anyways, she has developed a very nasty cold/ear infection and with it she coughs a hard flemmy sort of cough which makes her belly button stick out more. I called my family dr. but unfortunately she is booked until the first or second week of December, so she made me an appointment with her co-worker who saw my dd this morning first thing. She actually saw my dd belly button sticking out, she's the first one who has seen it because any other time of course it would go back in when I would be at the doctor's office or at the Children's hospital. Plus, I came with backup which were picture of her belly button sticking out :D...so then they will believe me or actually take me seriously. Anywho, she didn't like what she was seeing and told me it probably won't heal on it's own...plus, children usually have it when they are a lot younger than she is. So in the end we have a referral to see a surgeon about it, if she doesn't need surgery that is fine...but perhaps now I can get some answers and things to watch out for. We have an appointment with the surgeon on Tuesday morning at 8:45...so we will see what happens there and I will keep you posted!!