A Trip Down Hospital Lane

In the past 8 days my memories from almost 4 years ago have come full circle.  Last Monday I had to take Ava to our local community hospital to have an ultrasound of her kidneys done because she had recently gotten a UTI and they wanted to make sure she won't be prone to more in the future.  Then this morning, Ava and I went to St. V Children's for a scheduled CT scan of her head to determine if anything can be done for the hearing loss in her right ear that she suffered after complications from meningitis in January 2008.  The ultrasound of her kidneys came back completely clear and her CT scan was something that we had been putting off for a while just because we didn't want to stress her out with another test but decided that moving forward it would be best know what we're dealing with.  (And for the record, we scheduled the CT scan almost a month ago, well before we knew she'd need an ultrasound.  Like always, everything just happened at once!)

The tests themselves were nothing to be concerned about - non-invasive and quick outpatient procedures.  The location of the tests, especially timed so close together, was the hardest part for me.  The morning of each appointment we explained to Ava what would happen.  Other than some general uncertainty about the whole things, Ava was ready to go.  She did great during both tests - she was so proud of herself for being brave!  She as even able to do the CT scan without sedation, which was truly awesome!! 

Our first appointment, at HRH, was a little surreal just because I hadn't been in that hospital at all since Ava was admitted (for what we initially thought was just dehydration) that January morning 4 years ago.  We'd been to the campus for office visits but never had a reason to go around to the front where the hospital's main entrance is located.  We sat in the same registration cubicle that we did that first morning, but that was where the similarities ended.  We were taken back to a small room to do the ultrasound then released to head home.  While that visit had a way of stirring up old feelings, it was nothing like what I experienced this morning!  

Once again I found myself loading up the car with a nervous but very brave Ava, explaining some more along the way what was about to happen.  Once I told her she would have to get some "sleepy medicine" (anesthesia) she immediately informed me she could do without.  I told her we'd ask the nurse when we arrived.  This conversation was very detailed however and took up most of our ride to the hospital - which means the emotions I felt just driving into the parking lot caught me completely by surprise!

While we had been back to the hospital twice since Ava's stay there four years ago (once for a hearing test and once to deliver a $6500 check to PMCH for the Healing Hands 5k fundraiser!) I knew this time was different because we were about to come face to face with one of the same machine that changed our life the first time.  Just out of curiosity, I asked Ava as we pulled up to the building if she'd ever seen a hospital "this cool?"  "It looks like the bubbles on the front are glittering from the sunshine!" she told me...obviously pretty cool!  She was amazed; I thought I might cry.  I realized that she had no memory of being there from any of our previous visits - for which I am very grateful - but it was all starting to come back to me pretty quickly.  

We walked in, checked in at registration and were quickly met by the sedation nurse who was happy to let Ava try the scan without anesthesia!  Walking through the halls felt eerily familiar.  We got to our prep room where the nurse produced a "Barbie-sized" CT scan machine and walked Ava through exactly what would happen with Barbies and a Tinkerbell doll.  Ava was ready to go so I had to be too...

CT scan machine

During our two and a half week stay 4 years ago, Ava was having a test done nearly every other day it seemed (CT scan, MRIs, spinal tap, hearing tests and EEG's) and I was by her side for every single one.  Upon entering the room with that giant machine, they got her all set up, Tinkerbell in hand, reminded her to lay very still and went to work.  Suddenly the machine started up and I was reminded of her very first CT scan.  (During portions of the scan, it sounds sort of like a small airplane is getting ready to take off.  It's not as loud, but definitely a distinct sound and one that is not easily forgotten.  Luckily I was busy singing Twinkle Twinkle and Rudolph or my memories could have gotten the best of me.  But when she was finished she was *So Proud* of herself for doing so well - and she had one Proud, Happy and Relieved mama by her side once again :)  

I was thrilled to walk out of there today knowing Ava had made a happy memory there.  While I still get nervous when she asks questions about when she was sick (finding the right balance between the whole truth and how much truth I think she can handle right now) I am so happy that her two most recent visits to the hospital were quick, easy and relatively uneventful - well, aside from deciding what donut flavors to bring home from Dunkin Donuts today!   Sending God all our praises and gratitude for keeping our family happy, healthy and thriving for so many years!  PTL!!