After we were situated in our room, a LNA came to visit us and asked us a variety of questions about Addison. She did a basic exam, and told us we would be visited by the nurse and doctor soon. Our night nurse came in and asked us similar questions, put a security band on Addison (they call it the baby LoJack), and made sure we were comfortable. We were first visited by the pediatric resident who asked us more specific questions about the eye fluttering, her cataract and general behavior. She didn't seem to think that the eye fluttering was indicative of seizures (thank goodness) or major brain issues-- she thought it was just typical newborn focusing issues. However, because of her cataract, they wanted to investigate it further. We then were visited by neurologist (who DID not have very good bedside manner) who said it could be nothing or could be a tumor or something to that affect, and therefore thought we should get an MRI but also wanted her hooked up to an electroencephalogram (EEG) to monitor brain activity, specifically checking for seizures. I am not going to lie-- the neurologist kind of freaked me out when he started spitting out words like "tumor." How can you not?! Regardless, I knew that it was important to get as much testing done so that we could really determine what was causing the fluttering.
Once all of the doctors left, we realized that we were unable to get our stuff from the car. The main door closes at 8 pm and the only way to get back inside the hospital would be through the ER on the other side! We only had Addison's diaper bag-- and even that didn't have extra clothes haha. We were in for a long night anyway haha- no time for looking good :).
Around 10 PM, the EEG technician came into our room to place about 25 electrodes on Addison's head. It took about an hour, and the whole time Addison was so good! The technician said usually babies and young children are his hardest patients, but was really impressed with Addison. I think she enjoyed him placing them on her head haha. It wasn't until he wrapped her head in gauze that she decided it wasn't the greatest idea. The poor thing- she had all of these electrodes on her head, chest clips, and was attached to a heart rate/oxygen monitor AND to an EEG computer. Each time Addison fluttered (while we were awake) we had to click a button on the EEG machine so they could observe what her brain activity was at the time.
Saturday morning, we were notified that they were trying to get Addison in for an MRI but we were told that the schedule was a little tight. They are trying to fit her in- but they weren't sure if they were going to be able to that day. In addition, the head doctor came in and examined Addison and told us that they would also be doing some blood work to make sure that her thyroid levels were normal. There have been some cases where babies/children/adults have eye/vision problems with abnormal thyroid levels.
We didn't know what time she would be having the MRI, but we knew that they wanted to do it without sedating her or giving her any medication. I was slightly worried about how she would do with the MRI, and I had reason to be! The medical transporter came in around 11 (while Addison was sleeping) and unfortunately in the scuffle of trying to get her ready for the MRI, she woke up. Now Addison had just eaten, was sleeping and had been extremely content. When she gets woken up, she is generally not a happy camper! It usually takes a little while for her calm down again, and so I was starting to worry. She started crying, and I wasn't even given time to calm her down. The nurse tried to tell me over the crying to try to feed her once I got to the MRI area. My husband stayed in the room, and I traveled with Addison. She screamed the entire time. For safety and legal reasons, the transporter had to push her in the hospital crib so I wasn't able to pick her up until we got to the waiting area. Unfortunately, the poor little one was so distraught by that time that even feeding her did not console her. I tried calming her down, but she had been so worked up. I finally got her quiet, and the MRI technician told me to try to put her down on the MRI bed. I did that, and Addison started breathing heavily and I was worried she would start crying again. She seemed okay, so the technician (who wasn't sensitive AT ALL) started to put soft blocks around her head to secure the position. Well, little missy was not having it. She started to cry and I was able to manage it for a little bit, but then it became unconsolable. The technician didn't seem like she wanted to deal with us, so she said she wasn't able to do the MRI that day. She didn't even let me try to calm her down again! It was awful. We had one shot Saturday, and it was blown. Because of that, we would have to stay another night. Ugh.
When we got back to the hospital room, my husband looked at me with hopeful eyes, but I think he knew from my expression that the MRI didn't happen. We were both disappointed! The nurse came in right after we got back and told us she felt bad that we didn't really have time to prepare Addison for the MRI. She told us that the outcome might have been different if we had had time to calm her down-- and I totally agreed with her.
Saturday afternoon, my parents came to visit and brought us snacks and drinks. They were lifesavers!! It was so nice to have their company and support during such a scary time for us. While they were there, a phlebotomist came in to draw blood. The woman seemed so nervous drawing blood on a baby! When she finally got a sample, she said that she hoped she had gotten enough (so did we!). Soon after the blood draw, another EEG technician came in and removed the electrodes on Addison's head. I wasn't worried about this process because Addison had so enjoyed getting them placed on. However, true to form, Addison HATED getting them off. She cried the entire time! I had hold her and the technician had to work around that to get them off. He had to use acetone to remove them, and so not only was Addison's eyes burning, mine were too! Thank goodness it only took about 15 minutes to get them off!
Once it was done, Addison just wanted to be held and we were all happy to provide that comfort to her. The poor thing had been through so much already-- she was extra snuggly that day. My parents left in the late afternoon, and after eating pizza from a great place in Lebanon, we all rested for the remainder of the night and went to bed early. Addison's second MRI attempt was the following day, and this time they were going to try to sedate her (thankfully). I had to feed her at 3 AM and then refrain from feeding her until the MRI which was at 12 PM-- sounds super fun right?! Thankfully the nurse came in at 3 to wake both of us up so that I was able to feed her sufficiently. Once she was fed, we both went back to bed. Neither of us could have known what was going to happen that Sunday but boy was it an experience.
I thought I was going to be able to finish writing about our ordeal in this post but I can't haha. Sunday deserves it's own post. I will write about it and post it tomorrow! Until then, happy Sunday!
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