I missed my court date since I had emergancy surgery. Can I fix this?

I had emergancy surgery a week before my court date to modify custody. I contacted the petitioner's attorney (I'm in pro per) to inform him that I was having serious surgery and I would would be in the hospital and then on bed rest. He told me that he would move our next court date (we have several coming up). I got a form in the mail moving one date, but there was one two days before that he did not vacate. I subsequently missed that appearance and was sanctioned and the petitioner got all that he asked for. Is there a way to fix this or at least file an appeal?