Bone Scans and MRIs

Thomas' Doctor's Visits.

Thomas says, "we're going to the doctor again?" and he smiles and rolls his eyes.

Well, since most of you don't know about all the "fun" we had last week, here you go!

The XRAY

Thomas has continued to complain about his right leg hurting, right where he broke it last Feb, 2008. So, 2 Mondays ago I called the orthopedic (after he woke up crying about it hurting again.) They had us take him for an XRay at Baptist East on Tuesday. This scared him quite a bit, but as he said, "Well, now we can go get ice cream."

The Orthopedic

Then on Friday we went to the doctor's office. They said the XRays are clear. Then told me it was probably growing pains. She showed me how all the muscles in his lower body are very tight. She said it makes sense, if he is having a lot of exercises and muscle growth, but not a lot of stretching. She told me to do stretches with him, and to use Motrin.

I pointed out that we had been told the same thing 2 months after he got his cast off. She looked back over the file, verifying this, and changed her mind.

She had us go to Kosair the following Monday (1 week ago) for a bone scan. This, she said, would show anything at all that was wrong. Even a minor fracture that wasn't showing up on the XRays, or anything else at all. She said "even a tumor". Then we'd "know for sure and could rest easy."

The Bone Scan

So, Monday, last week, we went to Kosair and they inserted an IV, which was really scary for him. Then we went over to Norton's inside their tunnels and had some dye injected into the IV. Then they laid him up on a CT like machine (maybe an actual CT, I'm not sure) and used an inflatable blanket to wrap him in, so he wouldn't wiggle too much.

They moved the table into the machine a little (the donut shaped thing, not the space-tube) and he was really upset about this at first. But once he realized it really wasn't going to do anything, not even make noise, he calmed down a little. But then, after it took a long time, and she moved the table in closer a few times, he started crying again.

After 5 min of that to, "See what it looks like before the dye takes effect", we had to wait 1 1/2 hrs. So, they had given him a red wagon to ride around in, and we went for a tour.

As long as I kept moving, he didn't cry too much, but if not, he would remember that his arm hurt, and that it was attached to a long blue board which kept him from bending it or moving it, and he'd start getting upset again.

After time was up, we went back to sedation (where he was terrified of now, since they did the IV) and they let us watch cartoons in a private room.

Finally, they came in, about another 30 min later, and gave him something in the IV to relax him. He quit crying when she was only 1/2 way through injecting it into the IV, so I know it really worked fast.

Next, they injected something into the IV that knocked him out totally. He slept soundly after that.

Then we were marching back over to Norton's for the longer version of the same scan we'd had earlier, this time with Thomas not being frightened. This I didn't mind at all. He slept peacefully, and I actually relaxed some too.

When it was all over, they helped him wake back up, with a cool wash cloth on his face and some apple juice to drink. By the time we'd gotten in the car, he was not really awake, but crying and angry (as they usually do when you wake them in the middle of a good nap... but with a bit more...energy and confusion)

The MRI Call

Two days later, the doctor's office called to say that the Radiologist suggested an MRI. He said that there was an, "Abnormality between the right and left leg." which points to, "Possible Soft Tissue Damage." The girl on the phone said he had specifically told her, "It might just be picking up on the fact he broke his leg once, so don't make too much of it."

So, whatever that means, and I know, it might mean totally nothing, we are scheduled to go back to Kosair on January 27th at 10am.

Another Call

Today I called to try to move the date up some, as they'd asked me to, but I found out that it couldn't be, since the MRI will take 3 hours, and we have to be there 1 hr before. They had told us at the doctor's office that it would take 1 hr and we'd have to be there 1 hr before. So now, we're looking at 4 hours minimum, not 2.

Truthfully, the tech told my doctor's office that it won't really take that long since he's so little, but they still have to schedule it for that long.

They'll scan both legs and ankles, to compare the two, and then, "We'll know for sure, and can rest easy."

I've heard that before I think.

The Prayer Request

I talked to Laura Hay on the phone the day we found out we had to have the MRI, and again today, when I found out it would be 3 hours, not 1 hour.

She helped me remember that God says in the Bible, that He tests our faith. I prayed with her for peace, and that God's will would be done.

I would ask that you would say that same prayer on our behalf. Not because I believe Thomas has some horrid disease, but because I want whatever hurts him to be fixed, and if there is anything, to catch it early and fix it, and for me to appear calm, trusting in God, and confident to him. Then he will feel at ease too.

Mary