M.R.I never want to do that again

In a last stitch effort to rule out any medical issues concerning Cruz's speech delay our pediatrician recommended an MRI - to make sure the parts of Cruz's brain which controls/hears/interprets speech is all good and healthy.

Clearly ANY procedure which requires anesthesia (in this case it was a heavy sedative - Propofol - which if you pay any attention to celebrity news you may recognize this as the drug that killed Michael Jackson) is nerve wracking. You can't ever count out the fact your child may not wake up but a. God is in control, b. God is in control, c. God is in control and d. if this is the final test needed to prove that the only thing wrong with Cruz is a little speech delay then SO BE IT. 

Honestly the morning of the procedure did not start off well. We were a little late getting on the freeway because I had the logical thought that at 6:20am Starbucks wouldn't be busy. I am totally going to blame Satan here....so not only were there 6 cars ahead of me but when I finally got up to the window to grab my coffee and hot sandwich (cause this mama with child gets NASTYYYYYYY when she doesn't eat) I didn't grab my sandwich. I want to cry and cuss cause now we are REALLY late but decide to park out front to run in and grab my sandwich. Yeah. Bad idea. I forgot to put my iced coffee in the cup holder so when I parked (too furiously) it flew into the passenger seat and rolled onto the floor. Oh totally...it spilled ALL over. 

With 10 minutes till check-in at Sacred Heart's Pediatric Surgery Center I pull out of the Liberty Lake Starbuck's parking lot. 

All I can say is prayer and 104.9 saved my attitude on the drive down. 

Once we were checked in here's how it all went down.

1. Happy as a clam in the waiting room. It really is a toddler's happy place...until they get taken back to get their vitals checked, are de-dressed and put into the jail like metal crib used as a holding tank before "the real deal".

2. The vital check was rough for Cruz. He didn't appreciate any poking or prodding especially before breakfast, juice and a little Dora. Thank goodness Nick was with me and was able to help calm him down and walk with him into his pre-op room. 

3. In preparation for the IV, the sweet nurse needed to rub a numbing cream on both of Cruz's hands so that when they were ready to shove a needle in his chubby Salzwedel hand he didn't feel a thing. Yeah...he was SCREAMING during the rubbing. I mean freaking out. And it was just rubbing. 

So the nurse asked permission to give Cruz a "child martini" aka: anti-anxiety/memory wiping/make you feel so good you want to laugh, smile and coo - magic potion. Why make something already hard even harder for babe, nurse, mama, right?! We said sure and waited 5 minutes. 

He was higher than a kite in NYC. 

He was so happy he even let them miss his vain 4 times before getting the IV to stick without a single peep. It was amazing. 

4. After an hour in pre-op, Nick heads to work and I walk Cruz back to the MRI machine to meet the anesthesiologist and watch them put him to sleep. He was still so happy - jabbering, smiling at nothing, laughing at this lego key chain the nurse had. It was so hysterical. He had NO idea what was going on. 

Truth be told, it was rough watching him drugged to sleep, strapped to a board, attached to what looked like a thousand wires, eyes taped shut. I had about 30 seconds where my emotions got the best of me. What saved a full blown panic attack? The amazing nurses and doctors surrounding us both assuring me this was so normal and totally safe. I really appreciate the kindness and patience I was shown that day...hope they knew that. 

5. I was in the waiting room for about 50 minutes before they called me back to post-op. Cruz wasn't crying like he did with his Tubes. He was fussy - probably recognizing that the lady holding him wasn't mom - but stopped immediately when I grabbed him. 

Because of the drugs he couldn't hold up his head for about 20 minutes after he woke up. So we rocked and watched in horror as a 4 year old boy across the way fought every nurse within a 5 mile radius as he came out from his surgery. From what I could over hear it had something to do with his genitalia. So sad. 

20 minutes later Cruz was given animal crackers and apple juice, one last vitals check and the clearance to head home. 

 

So???? How'd he do??

The next morning the doc called and the MRI showed a totally healthy brain. 

I am so glad that we are done with testing. 

Being at Sacred Heart that morning really made me extra thankful for all that God has blessed us with. Health included. There were some really sick babies there for really intense procedures. I never want to think that I am above that. It could have easily been Nick and I there with a baby who needed reconstructive surgery due to a brain tumor or trying to calm down a 4 year old coming out of surgery of the penis (all of which happened btw).

At the end of the day Cruz is a serious, independent, happy little cuddle love who can't get enough of his brother Liam, sister Bianca and getting chased by dad all over the house.  Oh and did I tell you he can now say 10 WORDS???? Mimi, Papa, Dada, Mama, Bianca, ball, bubbles, banana, out, and hippo! He may not be at age level yet (20 words) but we are sure going to get him there.