Five Yard Penalty Repeat Second Down

Patrick and his MRI operator showed up in the radiology waiting room about thirty minutes after I left him in the process of becoming the creme center of a very loud, very large metal twinkie.

He said: I WAS holding still. I WAS.

She said: Yeah, I know honey, it's really hard but unfortunately there was so much wiggle that the images we got were pretty degraded.

Then they both looked at me.

I patted Patrick who was tearful and I blinked at her, mostly wondering why she was telling me this. Don't they just try again or something?

No, apparently they do not.

She said that the radiologist would be sending a "limited report" in a couple of days and maybe we can reschedule for another MRI with sedation or maybe our pediatrician will be satisfied with what they were able to get.

The good news is that Patrick was headache-free for five days. The bad news is that he then had another one yesterday. The good news is that it didn't make him throw up. The bad news is that it did make him queasy and sent him to bed. The good news is the radiologist didn't say he'd seen a mass or lesions or obvious brain swelling. The bad news is that I am not certain if he was able to see anything - good bad or indifferent - at all.

I don't understand so I have a call into our pediatrician telling him what happened and asking what we should do.

I'll let you know. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your support and good wishes and commonsense and advice and prayers and just being virtually here for us.  

Comments

[snickollet]

((Julia and family))

[Veronica]

Thankyou for letting us know, I've been thinking of you guys.

[MomVee]

Ugh. Virtually here and wishing so much that you did not have to go through this.

[K]

I have been so happy that you've been posting regular updates. Have been thinking about you all and hoping for the best, most quiet of days.

[Sarah]

No news is good news maybe??? Nothing was so huge and obviously bad to show up, so that is good right?

Take care and good luck with both the reading of no. 1 and the execution of no. 2 MRI. I'll be thinking of you all.

[Jen]

I'm so very sorry you all are going through all of this. I hope that you can figure it out soon, and get Patrick back to his usual funny, quixotic self. Sending lots of good thoughts your way.

[Sharon]

Poor Patrick. He seems like a kid who likes to be 'in charge' and this must be so hard for him! MRI's are really no fun and it's hard even for adults to stay as still as they need.

Hang in there, Julia. I just can't imagine how much the uncertainty is killing you. Hope the little ones are providing some much-needed comic relief.

[Mary Ann]

I'm hoping you get good news soon. I know it can't come soon enough.

[Kristi]

OH MY GOD. I don't even know if I could be still, let alone a little kid.

They should sedate all kids under 17 for that type of thing. Although sedation is scary in itself...

[Amy]

Thanks for the update-that-almost-isn't. I can't imagine how hard this waiting must be for all of you. Glad Patrick had a little bit of a break from the headaches though. Hang in there. Still sending good thoughts for everyone.

[Laura]

Oh, Julia. Dang it! I'm so sorry that Patrick has to go through this! Until your ped weighs in on what to do next, I am going to seek solace in the fact that no one said anything about seeing anything big and horrible. Thanks so much for keeping us updated. Sending prayers and lots of love.

[Flyover Belle]

Oh, poor baby. Was thinking of you all day - starting v. early this morning. I wish they had given him something - it is so hard to stay still when you are in there. Believe me, I have done it before.

Keeping my extremities crossed that no major observations is good news...and hoping that your ped (who does seem on top of things, thankfully) gets back to you soon.

Sending virtual hugs north.

[QoB]

Thinking of you all. I hope you get some answers soon.

[Esther]

I just wanted to add my support and good thoughts to those before me. We have gone through scary health issues with 2 of our kids, one of them being neurologic in nature....reading your posts takes me back to those awful times. Fingers, toes crossed. Positive vibes. Good karma. All sent your way.

[uberimma]

Thank you for posting so soon after you got home. And when you talk to the pediatrician, ask what you are going to do about this TOMORROW.

[cherylc]

Thinking of all of you. I just had an MRI and it IS hard to hold still.

[Beth]

Poor Patrick. He's right on the borderline for sedation; I've known younger kids who got MRIs, and they are always sedated, and I've known teenagers who held still. But the 7-12 crowd is iffy.

Here's hoping they either find something benign or the problem just goes away.

[Christine]

I can't begin to imagine how awful this is for you. My four-year-old had his first trip to the ER yesterday - concussion - and I lost several years of my life.
Many many good wishes, vibes, all that stuff.

[Cris]

I hate no answer appointments. Its like getting sent back to the beginning of the waiting game.

Once again I wrote a whole long thing about Katie and Cam's various CT scans and MRIs only to erase it. If you are interested, let me know. If not, then I'll just leave you with my sympathy for the failed appointment today, the hassle it will be to reschedule, the sucky wait until then, the worry over when he's sick and the worry while waiting to see if he will be sick again, and how awful it is to take your kid in for sedation, and how its often even worse helping them come out of it.

So - to sum up, having lived through it, I send you all my sympathy. This wasn't the results of the appointment I know we were all hoping for.

[Jan]

Bless you for taking the time to let us know! This is good news. A serious mass or lesion would have showed up in spite of the wriggles. I had one for fibrous breasts; can you imagine how hard it was lie on your stomach, body angled downward, and told, "Don't breathe! Don't even breathe!" It was seriously hard. The clunkity clunkity clunkity sounds were the best of it. I just couldn't breathe!

[Sarah]

So sorry for this delay, and so sorry to think that it may add guilt to Patrick's load. It is very, very hard to stay still. We are hoping they got enough to figure something out. Thanks for keeping all of us posted.

[sarah k]

Poor Patrick. I had one of those myself, recently, and it was no fun and if they'd told me I had to do it again I would have wanted to hit someone. In my state at the time, I might have.
Not that it is utter misery--but unnerving and loud and long.
Praying the results are good enough to satisfy the pediatrician and that the headaches continue to diminish and then stay. away. for good.

[SarahB]

Gah! And hugs. Poor Patrick. I'm sure that wasn't fun for him and then to be told he did it wrong, when he knows how important is was. I did not feel sorry for the pants-sewing day, but this? Yes.

Hang in there and thank you for the update.

[karen]

Julia, I'm so sorry that you are going through this.

My son had to have an MRI when he was 7. He was sedated. It was a pretty easy process. I know it stinks to put a child through anesthesia but I knew he wouldn't be able to stya still. We went to the hospital, they brought him into the MRI room(with me) they told him he would feel a pinch andthat was it, he was out in a second.(I belive they used prophofil(totally screwed up spelling..the Michael jackson stuff) he was asleep for the whole test. I sat in the room with earplugs. When he came out they woke him up and he was very, very groggy. Almost drunk like for a bit. We sat for a while(less than an hour) and then went home. he wanted Burger King on the way home and was fine. I hope Patrick doesn't need another test but if he does, I just wanted to share our experience. It was really a breeze...the worst was waiting for the results. Which were all good, thank God.

I am praying for you guys.

[KatieV]

Still here and still praying.

[Karen]

Oh man. I got nuthin' except thinking of you and your family. And thank you for updating us. And I really, really hope the headaches stop.

[Betty M]

Uggh. Sorry it was an appt without answers. Wishing Patrick all the best.

[Christa]

When my son was 5 he had to have an MRI on his thumb and they had us give him a dose of liquid Valium. He ended up falling asleep in the tube. It was a cinch. I hope you find the answers you need soon. I will be praying for you and your family.

[Sheridan]

Crikey. Thanks for the update. I'm so sorry that you're going through this.

[Ellie]

Oh honey. I really hope they get him in for a sedation repeat ASAP. If the images were degraded they need to go again. I'm sorry, obviously I'm not the radiologist but having been (and continuing to go) through neurological hellaciousness and as a mama, oh gosh, I'd insist on another. I really hope your doctor can arrange for that. Poor Patrick. Really, it's awful he's going through this.

Keeping you all in my prayers, virtual and otherwise {{hug}}

[Allie]

Damn! Dammity damn damn! This sucks.

Sorry. :(

[Liz]

Excuse me...but WFT? They wouldn't try again?! It's a kid for crying out loud. Did the operator have any experience with kids? Seriously...

[Portia]

I'm so sorry you didn't get some information out of this. Continuing to hope that all is perfectly fine.
(Also, that radiologist seriously has no procedures in place for giving MRIs to children? You can't make me believe all children can hold still.)

[Kathleen999]

Waiting is the worst. I'm sorry you are still in this limbo and I hope they get you in again soon and sedate him. Argh. And I hope there are no more headaches in the meantime.

[Shawna]

Well dang it! I came by hoping that there was some good news! I can't imagine how frustrating it must be for you!

I would have expected them to try again too.

Fingers crossed for things going better from here on in!

[Stephanie]

Oh! How stressful. I am sorry. I was thinking about you guys today. I wish this could just be settled (well! Of course.).

[Jill]

My son had an mri every six months for three years, beginning in second grade. They get better at them. They may be able to give Patrick something to make him relax without putting him completely under. And sometimes they tape their head down so they stay still. It sounds awful but it isn't. It's more a reminder than them being completely stuck.
While skipping a better mri might seem easier, I think you want definitive answers here.
Prayers for all of you.

[Stephanie]

ETA: wasn't another headache going to bump your timeline up to NOW, though? Who told you that? Could you tell that person he had another headache, and therefore the timeline needs to be bumped up (even for the repeat)?

[Julie]

If I may bring it one step further than Allie:
Fuck! Fuckity Fuck Fuck! That Sucks.

Sorry if that offends.

[Priscilla]

Gah! Poor Patrick. When I was MRI'd as a teenager, they put a little cage over my face and I had trouble staying still even with that! Maybe they can just give him a little Versed?

I bet your doctor will have some good ideas!

[katherine]

Ugh.... So so very sorry no clear answers were given today. Hopefully your ped can push for another MRI, soon. Wishing you all peace (or as much peace as possible) through all of this...

[CaraH]

Oh Julia, I'm so sorry. The non-answer is completely frustrating. I'll remain steadfast in prayer and in the belief that your pediatrician will order a sedated MRI expediently. God bless.

[Kathy W.]

You must be unbelievably frustrated. I would guess that besides the safety issue of a second MRI, they would want to get authorization from the dr. so they can bill your insurance for a second procedure. But wouldn't a children's hospital have some way of figuring out whether a child is moving or not, and take appropriate action before they complete the MRI and bill for it? Gah indeed.

[janet]

Thanks for updating. More good healing thoughts coming your way.

janet

[Kirsten]

I am glad there is some good news in there, but I am sure you are frustrated not getting an answer after waiting for this appt to come. I too would have hoped that they could foresee the possibility of a child his age not sitting still through an MRI. But it is good to try first without the sedation because if you can avoid it, that's better obviously. (I feel like maybe there was something with Patrick and sedation a while ago for stitches? Or maybe it was Edward? Or maybe I am making it up in my head...) Here is hoping they get you an appt with sedation asap.
And I am pleased to read a commenter say they think a mass would show up even if blurry -- I have no clue about that but let's hope that is true!

[jenn]

Of the first MRI was completed but unreadable, and he has to go in again... don't let them bill your insurance! They shouldn't if the first one didn't produce results. ( 10 years of medical customer service)
Poor Patrick... I was 16 and couldn't hold still for an MRI either... he's a brave thing to even get in the tube! I hope he starts feeling better soon... even if its just migraines the still hurt like heck.

[Amy]

Poor Patrick. It's hard for adults to hold still, let alone a child who is probably terrified.

Sending you all good thoughts.

[tree town gal]

ok. ok then. hmm... sending you more hugs and love and thoughts... i think MRIs stink and i can't blame him a bit for having a bit of the wiggles, poor buddy... thanks so much for keeping us in the loop.

[Katerina]

Oh no, poor poor sweetie(s). I am so sorry for you both! Julia, thank you so much for the update.

Do they do conscious sedation? That might be a good option for Patrick. They offer this at some dental clinics here and a friend says it's the bee's knees.

You both deserve a low-key but fun evening of some favorite activity. Help Patrick forget all about his MRIs and his headaches for a while, even though of course you never will. Maybe a fave meal, movie, game... Poor sweetheart.

[Lori]

not a frequent commenter but a diligent reader. wanted to let you know i am reading, hoping and sending all positive thoughts out there for a clean bill of health and an easy fix for this situation. I am so sorry you are going through this....