Testing...one, two, three

Today, Gracie had her PET and CAT scans done. It was an ordeal--not the tests themselves but getting to the point the tests could be done was a mess.

Starting yesterday Gracie couldn't eat any carbohydrates--which was a challenge because she'd say something like--mom, can I have a Popsicle--no, sweetie that has sugar--papa, can I have a potato--no, it's a carbohydrate--papa a potato is not sugary--well, it doesn't taste like sugar but it really is--Let's put it this way Grace, you can have eggs, meat and cheese!!! That's it! That just made her want chips, cereal, bread etc more because they weren't on the list--is she a 6 year old or what??

We made it through the day and we woke up today and got Jessica and Jane off to school and we left a little while later and were at the radiologists office at 8:21am. But the first thing we ask for was a barf bucket--we weren't even half way to the doctor's when Gracie began throwing up. Of course, we didn't have a bucket, or trash can, or bag or anything--so she just threw up all over her blanket that she brought for her "comfort" item and Melissa was turned around in her seat trying to catch it all on the blanket, as Rod kept on driving faster and faster (the smell was motivating us to get there quickly). Luckily, Gracie had decided to bring her giant Cinderella stuffed doll also. So, we had a back-up "comfort" item. We highly recommend back-ups of all kinds!!

We get checked in and wait, and wait, and Gracie lays down and they call her name!! Back we go, to a room that is stifling hot because among other instructions we got were that Gracie should be kept really warm--jacket, long-sleeve shirt, pants, socks and shoes and we can't forget the hat!! The paramedic enters and puts numbing cream on a couple of different areas because it's better to access her not through her Broviac tube. We wait in the sauna of a room and he comes back 30 minutes later and he can't get a vein--she's too dehydrated--she's been poked several times and then they decide that they have to use her tube (great, all that trauma for nothing)--They also need to get the vomiting under control, but all meds have to be ok'd by the doctor. We got the ok for some anti-nausea medicine after about an hour and also for some Valium because she's upset about the pokes etc and we need her calm, calm, calm.

Next, comes the radioactive sugar--that has to circulate for 45 minutes or so--so, we wait, with the meat falling off our bones in the sauna they are keeping us captive in. (just so you know, trashy magazines are as trashy as ever and we had time to read them all!!!)

In the team comes and out go Rod and Grace (apparently the rules changed from the last time because now only one parent is allowed). By now, we are all exhausted and so the test that took about 40 minutes went perfectly--they didn't even have to give Gracie any extra medicines to keep her calm. She just laid there as still as can be while the machines whirled around her.

Recovery was another 40 minutes--they had to be sure she would keep liquids down and that she wasn't too loopy. Then off we went--at 2:00pm!!! All day long--and now Gracie wasn't the only one starving (Gracie couldn't eat anything after midnight)!!!!

First stop lunch!! Yummy!! Next stop home--we all needed a nap but none of us got one--so early to bed!! So, we are signing off because we need to be asleep in about 10 minutes!! Do you think we'll make it??? Have a super evening--we meet with the doctor on Friday to go over the results of the test. We'll update the blog asap when we get home. Until Friday....