I have been a bit nervous about the day Noah gets tested for seizures and get a MRI scan of his brain. That was yesterday (Thu, 2/5). We got up super early since the check in time was at 6:45 am in Seattle. Since Noah was not supposed to eat or drink anything before the procedure, I am glad it was early in the morning. We waited for a while before we were invited in to the pre-surgery room. I was quite impressed with the facility at Children's Hospital. The surgery area was like a huge metropolis of pre-surgery rooms, nurse stations, surgery rooms, high-tech machineries stationed neatly in the storage area... it was very impressive, but at the same time reminded me that there are many children fighting with the serious illness out there. I am thankful that Noah is otherwise healthy and can lead a happy life.
Noah was very curious and wanted to explore the area, but thankfully the pre-surgery room had a glass sliding door and he could not escape. He changed into the hospital gown and handled it very well. He didn't like the blood pressure machine very much though. We waited in there for a while but once the doctor came, we were quickly guided to the surgery room. The surgery room reminded me of the room I had the C-section with the twins and Saya. The blindly bright florescent lights made everyone in the surgery room look like angels (they were wearing white gowns). I put Noah down on the bed and he was visibly getting a little scared. I assured him that he is doing a good job staying calm. I kept talking to him sweetly to distract him but when they showed him the mask, he started to panick. We had to pin him down to put the mask over his mouth. That was a bit distressing for me. They'd warned me that it is hard to watch and it was. I told him to breathe and he did a good job. Soon, he started to turn his head left and right and they told me that it is a reflex thing before they fall asleep. Soon he collapsed into their arms. I wanted to cry and I may have cried a bit. It was very hard to watch.
I tried to find my way back to the waiting area but honestly, I got lost! The hospital is bigger than it looks from outside. The surgery area itself has four different sections like green, blue, red and yellow areas. The nurse told me she used to get lost when she first started to work there. I decided to grab a bite to eat at the cafeteria. I saw a girl about 13 in a wheelchair with perhaps some growth stunt disability. I saw her and her family earlier when I was checking Noah in at Admission. She smiled at me then so I smiled back. When I saw her at the cafeteria, she smiled at me again. She had the kindest smile on her face and she made me feel more relaxed. As I sat and ate by myself, I thought about how a smile can be a powerful force to bring joy to people. That little girl even without a single word made me feel happy. It was an insightful breakfast thanks to the little girl!
The buzzer they gave me beeped and that meant it was time to go back to the pre-surgery room to meet Noah. They wheeled him in on a bed. He was very sleepy and didn't want to get out of bed. He had some sticky paste on his hair from the EEG test. I gently woke him up but he refused to get up. I had to pick him up so that I can change him back to his clothes, but it wasn't easy. He used all his power not to stand up and started to scream. He was extremely cranky! I managed to change him, but now he refused to sit on the stroller. A nurse tried to help me buckle him in, but he was like a board and wouldn't sit down. I told the nurse, I wild carry him and push the stroller. She looked at me like I am crazy, but I had to. So, I drove the stroller like a drunk driver bumping into everything in the way while carrying an almost 7-year-old in one arm. It's amazing what Moms can do. The strength and power come from something other than muscles.
We safely got back home but he was still very cranky. I had to hold him on the couch for a while. Noah's MRI and EEG adventure ended smoothly other than the post surgery grouchiness. I don't want to put him through this again any time soon! Now we wait for the result. The neurologist wasn't very quick to respond with my previous questions and I am hoping she won't take too long getting beck to me. I hope he is seizure free and his MRI come back normal. I am anxious to hear the result but I most likely have to go over the findings with the specialist so that I can understand what it means. Good job, Noah! You did it my boy. Good job for me, too, for handling it well!
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