MRI

Yesterday Sydney had a follow-up MRI with the nuerosurgeon.  This was just a check-up.  We don't suspect that anything is wrong with the shunt.  He just wanted to see how it was doing and how her ventricles were 2 months after the surgery. 

We arrived downtown at 6:30am (yeah, I know...it's early!) and checked in.  By 7:30 we were in the MRI room.  Because an MRI is just a big magnet, they have to be careful about too much metal in there.  Snap and zippers are ok on Moms though, so I got to go in the room with Sydney.  Her little snaps on her onesies were not ok since she her whole body fit in the magnet.  I wrapped her up in a blanket to keep warm and then the tech did a little wrapping of his own.  He wrapped a sheet around her and then there was an inflateable mattress looking thing that was wrapped and snapped around her and then blown up a bit to really confine her so she doesn't move.  Yeah, Sydney didn't like this at all!  She hates having her hands pinned.  I put her binky in her mouth and then the tech moved the head piece in place.  Her binky just fit.  I think it kinda freaked her out a bit though, cuz the binky popped right out of her mouth!  As he conveyer belted her into the magnet, I could see her struggling and moving - then the machine started up.  I think it scared her - she held perfectly still!  It was pretty loud, they had Sydney and myself wear earphones to protect our ears.  Once she was belted in, it was pretty fast. The tech was kind enough to direct me to the neurosurgeon's office on a different floor and we were off to get the results.

We got up to the office and it was completely empty.  Where the lady behind the glass sat was a metal privacy/lock-up screen.  I checked my watch 7:45a and checked her appt time...10:30a.  A 3 hour wait!  Someone didn't plan this very well!  I debated hopping in the car and driving home (1 hr), sitting around the house (45 min) and then drivng back (1 hr) plus paying another $2 for parking and all the gas money - I stayed.  Luckyfor us I did.  Dr S had picked up a surgery case that was going to last 3 hrs, but since I was already here and ready at 8:30a, he went ahead and saw us to help alleviate the massive backup this surgery was going to cause.

Now the important stuff - what did the MRI say?  Everything looks great!  The ventricles are "normal" and the shunt appears to be working and doing it's job.  Our next neurosurgeon appt - 1 year!

So now Sydney has gotten rid of the eyedoctor - the ROP has corrected itself and gone away - the neurosurgeon has been put off for another year.  Let's pass this stupid hearing test in a month and I can scratch off the ENT and we will be down to her pediatrician and developmentalist.  Whew!