Yep, it sucked about as much as I thought it would. The story I got on Monday from a radiology nurse differed greatly from the actual experience. I'm a little annoyed.
What I was told on Monday about how the day would go:
Ace would go straight from registration to pediatrics, where he'd go to sleep while being held by me. "Yes," she said, "we know that's important to the parent." He'd get taken to radiology, they'd perform the MRI and he'd wake up in recovery and still be groggy enough to not really know that I wasn't there. Once he woke up, he'd be brought back into the room in pediatrics until he could hold his head up and fill a diaper at which point he could go home.
How the day actually went:
We went to registration then to same day surgery. We waited in same day surgery for an hour. NOT cool with a hungry one year old, people, NOT COOL. An over-caffeinated anesthesiologist came and was super pumped. The MRI techs came and took my baby from me, fully awake, into a very imposing room without me. They shuffled me off to his room in pediatrics and told me to wait by the phone. I waited by the phone. I was told I could meet him as he came out of the recovery room. I met him, sobbing his head off to the point of choking on his own spit, coming out of the frellin' elevator on the pediatrics floor because they called me too late to go meet him. He was terrified and in a complete panic, and why wouldn't he be. His mom is nowhere to be found and he's in an elevator with complete strangers, stoned out of his mind, feeling like hell. He screamed for a full half an hour, then calmed down a little while I rocked him and sang to him, and he still screamed uncontrollably every time someone would look at him. It took me over an hour and a half to get him calmed down. As soon as he calmed down and kept food down, he could go home.
What I was told on Monday about sedation:
He'd either receive an oral dose of chloral hydrate (a liquid, which they have to drink) or an IV. If he HAD to get an IV, he'd be gassed up first to the point that he wouldn't really feel it.
How he was sedated:
Gas. Only.
What I was told about him needing an IV:
Dr. RedBullCappucino, the anesthesiologist, said he wouldn't need one.
What I saw in my poor son's hand as he was coming off the elevator:
An IV. Why? Oh, just in case he needed it. No real reason. If I find out that someone did that to my son without him being knocked out first, heads will roll. Period.
What I was told on Monday about food post MRI:
Since he'd be sedated, he'd have to get food slowly. He'd have to start with clear liquids (water, apple juice, pediasure), then maybe he could get a bit of fruit or vegetable after he kept the clear liquids down. No dairy products, including formula, till tomorrow.
What actually happened:
Dr. RedBullCappucino said the gas won't interfere with his stomach when he wakes up. He's gonna be starving. Have food ready. Good thing I had the foresight to bring enough formula for a bottle and a half, which he sucked down hungrily amidst all the screaming.
How I expected people to act when my child got off an elevator in a complete, red faced, sobbing panic:
Professional. Slightly sympathetic.
How they acted:
As though everything was funny, and my child being in pain and more scared than he's ever been in his entire life was simply an amusement, a diversion. I've never wanted to kick someone in their smiling face before, but I came kinda close today. Har de freakin' har, lady. I know you make children cry every day, but show a little decorum when you're faced with a mom who's as stressed out as I am.
Listen folks, I know that medicine isn't an exact science - by no means. I know a lot of things depend on a lot of varying factors. I just think that giving an MRI to a 13-month-old is a relatively common occurrence within a radiology department with a relatively standard operating procedure which can be passed on to a mom so she can feel somewhat in control. NOTHING I was told actually happened today, and I am PISSED about it. Excuse my language, please. If you don't actually know what will happen, and things will depend on the day, the anesthesiologist, the radiologist, the child, whether the moon is waxing or waning, whether the ratio of cow-fart to oxygen is just so in the atmosphere, TELL ME.
The hospital he went to (Baptist) is the same one he went to all winter for his Synagis shots. They always sent out satisfaction surveys, which I always filled out with a smile on my face because they treated him so well and were always on time. This one will be a different story.
Maybe I shouldn't have been so informed beforehand - I could've gone in there all ignorance is bliss and not had any expectations. GRRRRRRR.
I should have the results within the next few days. Ha. What'll really happen: Thanksgiving, MAYBE.
I really oughta pray. I've not felt very Christian today. Lord, please forgive me.
3 months ago
8 comments:
As a nurse, PLEASE accept my apologies. I have started IV's on screaming babies. Those Mom's were pissed too-and the whole time I felt like something my cat leaves in the litter box. I have cried too-out of sight and after the fact.
As a Mom, I understand. REALLY. We've been through tubes and tonsillectomies, teeth extractions,stitches, shots, along with sedation at the dentist for caps for my 4 yr old at the time daughter. IT SUCKS. And it always will.
Pray, pray, and then when you don't think you can, pray some more. Believe it or not, Ace will be totally over it in another day or two and will not remember.
Many hugs.
REALLY.
~:<>
Stacey--I am SPEECHLESS!! Your post made me cry--I cried through the whole thing, poor little Ace (and porr Stacey!!) I think a little kung fu is in order at that hospital! Seriously, go write all of your complaints down and send it to the Chief of Staff--I am so sick to my stomach imagining that poor baby's terror!
UGH! Don't worry about praying so much--sometimes other people can take it on for you. Just be calm and use all of your energy to love that little boy with all of your might and I'll be praying for you guys :o( God understands.
PS) The cow fart statement had me rolling on the floor!
Clucky - listen, I wouldn't have been angry about the IV if it hadn't been for the fact that I was told he wouldn't need one. If they'd told me, you know what, he's probably going to need an IV, just in case we need to give him anesthesia or contrast in the middle of the MRI, I'd've been okay with it. Ace got BIG shots all through winter - I'm no stranger to my baby being in pain.
If they had said you can't be with your baby until he's asleep because we're gonna gas him in radiology, you can't be with him after recovery, he's going to need an IV, he's gonna need food, etc... I'd have expected it. It's like the whole day they were telling me I was going to get ice cream, lots of ice cream, a big heaping scoop of Ben and Jerry's S'mores ice cream, and at the end of the day they discharged me with a cone full of dandruff flakes. UGH.
Jennifer - thank you. My mom already went on a big rampage to various supervisors, so I'm sure my nice letter is expected.
OH!!! One other thing!!!! The guy who took all of Ace's vitals had to weigh Ace, of course, but since Ace can't sit up or stand up, he had to weigh me first then weigh me holding Ace. The guy's strong suit wasn't math, and while neither is mine, you'd think TWO POUNDS would make kind of a difference when it comes to a child who's about to receive anesthesia!!!!!
GRRRRRRRRRRR! Those people are so damned lucky I'm not in Jackson, MS. There'd be some badass Tae Kwon Do going on around there. Damn them!
Oh no no no no. Rip them to shreds. You don't do that to families, especially in pediatrics. I don't care if they do hundreds of those a day, the patient only does one and when you're dealing with kids, the parents are going to be scared. Any situation where a kid needs an MRI is scary. Things may change as they go, but communication is key, people! Chances are those people have no idea how they're impacting families.
I'm shocked at that behavior coming out of Baptist. My family had a lot of dealings in the Cancer Center there earlier this year and they were awesome. Goes to show how the quality of service in different departments varies. Sad.
POOR ACE! I am so sorry about your terrible experience. I hate unprofessional medical personnel! HATE IT HATE IT HATE IT! I told off a nurse myself recently when my child couldn't stop throwing up - she told me to take the sprite she was sipping away from her. Excuse me? Did you just tell me how to parent my child? Have you been watching MY CHILD vomit for 5 hours, cleanin up puke and watching her gag and choke and dry-heave? I DON'T THINK SO!
OK, ok, ok. So that was TMI, so let's get back to you. Yes, I know that you should keep a Christian attitude and believe me, I'm working on that one myself, but there is such a thing as righteous indignation and I believe as moms, when it comes to our kids, we're allowed to be bitches on occasion and I definitely think you owe several people a piece of your mind.
I'm SO on your side.
I would throw such a fit with the hospital. Make sure they know you were not happy with your babies treatment. When hailey was in the hospital they pulled our chains some and i pushed right back. Kids need to be treated with the same respect and love if not more than adults do. I am very repulsed by the fact that they took him away from you without letting you stay with him when they put him to sleep. I am sure it was horrible for you. I would make sure a compaint is given to them through more than just a comment card. Maybe send it to the chief of pediatrics or something so someone of importance actually sees it.
I am so sorry this was so awful. That really sucks and blows! Be sure to let whoever told you about how this would be going down(if it was DR. Office staff or hosp staff) know how it really went. And remember, the more calm that you can be when airing your grievances to the powers that be the better, more seriously they will take you. If talking on the phone have a notecard with talking points. This whole episode was beyond horrific. I really hope he doesn't have any lasting psycological scars from this. Bless his little heart.
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