Thursday, September 11, 2008

More about our hospital stay...

Sophie did great for the rest of the EEG. The head wrap stayed on this time. She slept through the night. A nurse came in at 6:45am to start her IV. She was a wonderful nurse and I couldn't thank her enough. She started the IV in ONE POKE!!! Amazing!!! She was in and out of there quickly and Sophie was back to sleep within minutes.

We were then discharged from the hospital at around 8:30am and headed down for the PET scan and to once again be taped* down to the table for the EEG. They only had to add an additional 4 electrodes to her head for the PET scan EEG but she had to stay taped down until the recording was over. Though she seemed more traumatized with these 4 than the original 28 they put on her the day before. She was then injected with radioactive tracer isotope and then recorded for 30 minutes on the EEG. All the electrodes were removed and she was then sedated for the PET scan. She did absolutely wonderful with the sedation. She was groggy when we left the hospital and we carried her back to our housing where she took about a two hour nap. She woke up happy as can be.

We then decided to drive over to Windsor, Canada for a late lunch...it is only a few miles away from where we were at. No problems getting into Canada but coming back into the USA was another thing. To make a long story short...the Department of Homeland Security picked up the radioactive isotopes in Sophie's body and after about 30 minutes we were given clearance to leave.

We then met with Dr. Chugani the following day.






* Being taped down in this pictures looks pretty barbaric. I actually ripped off the tape towards her feet because it was so tight I thought it was cutting off her circulation. For the initial electrodes they put on, the EEG tech did not wrap her this tightly. I had to convince both EEG techs to not wrap up her arms since she needed to suck her thumb. They were both hesitant but soon realized that it was for the best. Though could you imagine having both your arms and legs taped down and not knowing what is happening to you???




4 comments:

Heather said...

The whole thing is so unnatural ,isn't it? I HATE to see these children go through this entire process.Necessity,yes,do you ever get use to it,absolutely not.The one picture with her little eyes just wide open and pleading, just kills me!What a girl Sophie!The border story.... well, that's one for the baby book!!

Lori said...

I hope you guys are getting back to normal. What "fun" things we have to do to our poor girls. At least she seemed to take it like a champ. Hugs.

Lori and Nora

Danielle said...

Oh Elaine...I'm here crying my eyes out! At the whole thing... it is barbaric. That's the perfect word. And the whole border thing...good grief! Someday you'll laugh about it I'm sure...but at the time?!?! I know I would have been freaking out.

((((hugs))))

...danielle

Anonymous said...

Those pictures are truley heart breaking. Poor baby. :(

Amanda