Office visit 11/3 and scans

11/03 10:01
ANC 1076

We got to the office early before the scans so Alan could get counts and some IV fluids and nutrition. It was an adventure keeping up with him while he tried to run around. Auntie N was in town visiting and she took a turn wrangling him up and down the office hallway.

We took off to the hospital with the IV bag and proceeded to wait. Alan's appointment was at 1:30 but because of an emergency case, he wasn't wheeled out of Pedi Prep & Hold until 3:00. Needless to say, he was not a happy baby. Besides being tired, he was hungry since we had to keep him NPO since midnight the night before. The IV fluids kept him hydrated and nutritionally supported, but that's not the same thing as drinking chocolate milk or eating a cereal bar. Our anesthesiologist this time was Doc J, who had taken care of Alan last time.

During previous scans Alan had woken up and had to be re-sedated, so they were keeping a close eye on him so things wouldn't drag on. The nurse that took him to the MRI chamber said they caught him before he fully woke up this time (though he still moved enough to fuzz some of the MRI images a bit) and said they now knew to keep an eye on his feet. Apparently, his feet are the first thing to move as he starts to wake up.

When he woke up, we waited a little before offering him his favourite chocolate milk since you're supposed to start with clear liquids after sedation. He pushed away the juice and water though, and when we finally gave him a cup of chocolate milk, he guzzled almost the whole thing all at once, then he gobbled down a cereal bar. Since he seemed fine, we were soon on our way home.

Unfortunately, as we were driving home, we got a call from the nurse. She had been so concerned about getting Alan through the MRI that she had forgotten to take him to the CAT scan! So we made arrangements to head back first thing in the morning (Pediatric Radiology opened at 7 am) so that Doc C, the radiologist, could read the scan at 8 am and have the report ready for the surgeon Doc R when we saw him at 9:30.

What a long day! The next time the docs even hint that Alan needs another scan, I'm going to have them book it right away so we can get an appointment first thing in the morning. Dealing with an afternoon appointment is just too exhuasting!