As you all know, today was the big day for Emily's tests. We had the EEG and the MRI. The EEG needed to be a "sleep deprived" EEG. Okay, I knew this. I really did. And it sounded like no big deal at the time that everything was being scheduled. What's the problem? We just have to keep her awake a couple hours past her "normal" time and then wake her up a couple hours before her "normal" time. So, that would mean that Emily would have to go to sleep at 10:30 and wake up around 4:30. Wow! That doesn't sound quite so bad. I can actually get about 6 hours of sleep. At least that was what I was thinking when I scheduled the test. Well, it doesn't really work like that. Let me break it down for you. Because my child typically falls asleep by 8:30 pm NO MATTER WHAT, that meant that I spent two full hours with her crying and miserable and begging me to just let her lay her head down. It was bad! Rob even drove to the gas station to get some ice cream she likes to try and bribe her, but she cried so bad that I thought she was going to throw up. Well, by the time she was actually allowed to fall asleep, I realized that I wasn't able to get ANY of my stuff done for the evening that I needed to get done before the next day. And keep in mind that I had to get her up VERY early and I didn't know what to expect with that. So, I had to take care of a few things around the house, get ready for bed, etc. I finally got in bed about 12:30. My alarm went off at 4am this morning to wake up grumpy pants. It was a struggle to keep her awake this morning, but we made it.
We got to the hospital and made it to the EEG office. That test was very easy. The worst part was getting all of the probes out of Emily's hair. Emily is so sensitive around the back of her head where her shunt is that the lady had a tough time getting the probes off from back there.
By the time the EEG was over, poor Emily was getting so hungry and she was getting so fussy. Her little tummy was growling so much. My heart just melted for her. I told her not to worry because her MRI was scheduled to be very soon and then she wouldn't worry about being hungry anymore. We had to walk clear across to the other side of the hospital to get to the MRI diagnostic center.
Once we got there and checked in, Emily started whimpering. This is when I started to learn that lesson that I mentioned earlier. She started to really not do well by this point. I had to fill out some papers and was then told that there was an inpatient emergency and the MRI's got backed up. We would be waiting for a little bit. Emily didn't handle the waiting well at all. I had to reach my inner strength of patience to deal with the moodiness of my child. She became quite the whimpering bear. She was scared. She was hungry. She didn't want to be there. She didn't want an MRI. She didn't want an IV. She didn't want a blood draw. She wanted to go home. She wanted to eat. She wanted to know what Ethan was doing RIGHT THEN. Oh, the list can go on and on and on.
I tried to reassure Emily that everything would be fine. She has had this test many times. I would be with her. She would be asleep before she ever even got a single needle poke. She would never even feel a needle poke. The test would be just like last time, etc etc etc. Seriously, there was nothing that I could say that would make this okay.
So, it was time to take her back. I am allowed to walk her to the MRI room itself, but I can't go in the actual room. I am literally only 10 feet away from her. She can sit on the table and see me the entire time while they are putting her to sleep. She hears my voice and sees me the entire time. Okay, so she is sitting on the bed and the male nurse is standing next to her and the doctor is there giving her the mask to breathe. This is when it gets bad. Emily starts screaming, "NOOOOOOO!!! MOMMY!!!!" And she has her arms stretched out in front of her as far as she can. I'm standing there trying to keep it together and I'm telling her that it is going to be okay and that I'm right there. She keeps screaming for me with her arms out in front of her and the nurse has to hold her against him and the doctor has to hold the mask to her face while trying to force her to lay down. Emily kept fighting and wouldn't lay down. She even had her eyes roll back in her head and then she would pull herself out of it and reach for me again as if asking for me to save her. It took every ounce of strength in my being not to run in there after my screaming child. When Emily finally did give up, the doctor said, "Wow! She is a fighter! I didn't think she was going to give in." Bless those doctors and nurses that have to do that every day. They sure have my respect. And yes, Emily is a fighter!!!! :) But you know what? This mama has had about all she can take! I am thanking God that this day is over. And now I am praying to God that we get some answers as to what is going on in my child. I really don't want to think that we did all of this for nothing.
Here is a picture of Emily getting her EEG. She was obviously still happy here. :)
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