Hospital photos and hospital-related thoughts

As I already mentioned, Elijah's visit to radiology was not a fun one. It is one that none of us will ever forget, unfortunately. After the torture was finished, Elijah was given a Curious George cd, a pet rat and five stickers, the maximum amount of loot given out at one time.



We had quite a bit of time between radiology and heart cath check-in, so we ran around the hospital, checking out all of the new construction. There were parts of the hospital that we didn't even recognize. It looks amazing!



My thoughts may or may not relate to the photos from here on.



Everyone, meet Tiptoe, the hospital rat.



Like his owner, Tiptoe has an allergy to morphine.



One of the things Elijah's anesthesiologist recommended is that we bring him back to his ENT doctor to get another bronchoscopy done. This is the same recommendation we received last year from his pulmonologist. With all of the croup he has, and with the trouble he has had breathing after being intubated the past few times, it might be worth it to see if anything serious (or fixable) is going on in his airway.



He had a bronchoscopy when he was six months old because of his squeaky breathing and the doctor found nothing, aside from a veeeeeeeery slightly narrowed airway. Since he has been intubated so much since then, it might be a good idea to see if perhaps damage has been done.



The thought of putting him through another procedure before his next open heart surgery makes me just about lose my mind. More trauma for my boy? !@#$*(! #)$*(UT sodhi!!! But, on the flip side, it certainly would be good to know what, if anything, is going on. A thought that makes me even crazier is what the state of his airway would be after being intubated for open heart surgery #3.



For this cath, the anesthesiologist used the tiniest breathing tube they had. One that they normally use for tiny babies. And it was not in his airway for very long. And he still had a VERY hard time breathing afterward. Not a good sign.



That @#%!#$@$^ airway has me more worried than open heart surgery!



Here's our boy after we got into our room in the CVCC and after we got him calmed down (i.e., after lots of hugs from Mama and after the nurses left the room). Look at that hair! By the way, there is not a single nurse or doctor that comes in the room who does not comment on Elijah's great hair.



Once we were given clearance, we ordered Elijah food and he devoured it, and then munched on some Cheerios. While I was opening the yogurt to feed to him, he said, "Mommy take a picture first!" Ha! Our first post-cath smile!



The only thing that calmed him was when Dan or I would lay on his bed with him and hold him super tight. He did not want to be in that place, and I don't blame him.



And we certainly haven't forgotten about our youngest cutie. Here is a peek at his smiley face. More of these to come!