Just Say 'No'...

I know, it's been awhile since my last posting, but summertime tends to be that way for me. I would imagine I'll be adding entries more frequently now that the summer is coming to a close.

For those wanting to know how Ashley's latest MRI & oncology follow-up went,... Well, it didn't.

First, the secondary machine broke down so appts quickly backed up due to the need to merge them all into the remaining operational equipment. This put us into a 3+ hour delay. Keeping in mind that Ashley was not permitted to eat "just in case" she ended up needing anesthesia.

Ashley was scheduled to have her scan 'awake' this time per her Dr's orders to "give it a try" despite the difficulty even in many adults to remain perfectly still, no, more resembling statue-like structure,.. pure frozen form except for calm breathing, (and for those clostrophobic, lest we not forget the tight quarters within the MRI tunnel itself), and for not less than a minimum of one hour to boot... and this expected of a 7 year-old. Add to the scenario, that the medication given to calm & slightly sedate her to her surroundings had the exact opposite effect on her, and no sooner was she in the tunnel when she practically started break-dancing! Seriously, I don't think that child could have wiggled any more then she did... the words, "hold still" seemed to translate into her sweet little mind as, "heeeeeeey, macarena!!".......... Oh, lordy, it was a total disaster! LOL

I forget the name of the medication, but it made her friggin loopy.... she looked intoxicated. And well, basically she was! This medication is supposed to calm her,.. and in most people, they relax & become drowsy with most even falling alseep, but seriously, my 7 year-old was not only high, but obnoxious, too.

Everyone at OHSU was really great though, and very understanding, and I loved their response which was simply, "Well, now you have proof that a 7 year-old cannot undergo this procedure without anesthesia so next time her Dr suggests giving it a try,.... you can just say 'NO'".

Anyway, long story a little shorter, they were able to retain an anesthesiologist, but by that time it had been nearly 5 hours since our intial required check-in at 9:30 AM which already was way later in the morning than I normally like her to have to go because by then she's already getting hungry,... this is why I schedule them in the 6:00 AM slots, but no such luck this time,.. she had a 10:30 AM scan scheduled this time, and then we ended up 4 hours beyond THAT. This poor child had not eaten since the night before, and it was already after 2:30 PM. I was not going to make her wait any longer. If we had gone ahead and continued to pursue, it would have been another hour and a half to two hours before she'd have been able to eat. Nope,.. I said nah-uh, and decided to reschedule. And, since she didn't have her MRI, there was no point in going to her follow-up at Doernbecher's either so that's being rescheduled, too. I'll keep everybody posted when the time comes. Unfortunately these things can book out a ways so no telling right now when the next open slot will be.