Day of Tests

After a long day of traveling (with a not-so-happy toddler and even-less-happy co-passengers), we finally crashed in the hotel bed at about midnight ... with that squirmy toddler snuggled comfortably between us (comfortably for HIM, that is). E. was not allowed to have anything by mouth prior to the morning's tests, so there was no rush to eat breakfast before his first appointment.

Peanut and I dropped E. off at "Nuclear Medicine" for his PET/CT scans at 10:30 a.m. and proceeded to wander the halls while we waited for him. We stopped at the cafeteria to grab a bite to eat and then we walked around some more. We walked, and we walked, and we walked. E. was finally done at 1:30, which gave us enough time to eat a quick lunch of tuna sandwiches before his next appointment. After a slight mishap of taking him to the MRI center in the wrong building, we arrived at his 2:30 p.m. appointment at the right location only a few minutes late. They told me it would be at least a couple of hours, which at least meant that Peanut could get a nap in (and maybe me too!). By 4:45, Peanut and I were cruising the halls again, waiting for E. to be done. It was about 5:15 p.m. before he was finally out and ready to go.

E. said the tests were "fine." He said the PET/CT scan was the same as the ones in the past. He stated that the MRI was very different than the ones he received at home though. They put ear plugs in his ears, rolled towels on the sides of his head and then a hard, clear, plastic piece came down over his head, like a "stealth fighter pilot." He said it was very loud and very confining. They gave him a button to push if he had a panic attack, but E. said he closed his eyes through the entire thing and didn't have to push the button at all. At some point during the MRI, E. said he could feel his head burning in the spots where he had had the surgery. Is that a good thing? Is that a bad thing? Is that normal? Is that not?

I have a feeling it's going to be a long night. We meet with the doctor tomorrow at 11:00 and should know the test results then.