Wednesday, October 8, 2008



After the EEG...He was zonked!



Now that I've got some of the negativity out of my system, I thought I'd share a little TX Children's Hosp. humor (well, it's not really funny, but it's one of those things that you can't help but laugh because it's too ridiculous to really believe)...

Let me start by reminding you all that last Friday's appointment was totally last minute. The guy called me up Thursday afternoon and asked if we could be there at 12:45pm...then 10 am...then 8 am...but really 7:30 am. Soooo, being, oh, about 2-3 hours away (depending on traffic), we thought we would leave no later than 4:30 am...just to be on the safe side...:)

Any of you mothers know that you may be able to survive a shot-gun wake up (i.e. jump out of bed, throw on clothes, and jet out), but with a baby...not the case. So that meant my wake up time was 3 am!!! LOL, Austin didn't go to bed (despite persistent trying) until midnight!

(We decided looking for a hotel room so last minute would be fruitless -you can't even find a vacant room in Beaumont for crying out loud- because of Ike)

Now, that's only leading up to the juiciest...

Already sleep deprived, we made our way to the big city of Houston...unsure how the traffic may be after the hurricane. I've never seen it so bad at 6:30 am! That was just the beginning...

We made it on time, thankfully, despite the traffic. The EEG went smoothly...Austin screamed of course while the tech was doing the prep. But, he calmed much easier this time and slept, well, like a baby!

We had the 4 hour gap between the EEG and the doctor appointment. Austin was an angel...he slept most of the time...even when I tried to give him his meds! No problems there.

Then came the appointment. We got in right away (relief). Doc showed up within 5 min (a first). You all know what went on there. We were devastated. You'd think after such a stressful appointment, the staff would do anything and everything to accommodate you...


WRONG!!!


We waited an entire hour JUST TO CHECK OUT!!! Oh, there was a lab order, MRI and LP to schedule...scripts to grab...not to mention a follow up visit. We went up to the 12th floor to schedule the MRI...wait, wait, wait. Didn't get anything accomplished. On a waiting list.

We get back down to the 9th floor to finish getting all scheduled...I wait, wait, wait (still in tears, by the way). Dummy at the checkout area is STILL working on the lab order.

Finally, at 2:30 pm, we were free to go...down to the lab of course!

Down to the 3rd floor. Drop off the lab order...sit, wait....wait...wait...what's the problem??? Remember the dummy that took an hour to prepare our lab order??? She screwed it up!! No telling how long it took to straighten that out...she had to come down and fix it.

We finally get called back and find out we also have to do urine! Yay, a bag to attach and then WAIT SOME MORE for pee pee!

I poured the juice to Austin and he finally did the job...I anxiously ran up to the window to let them know they could take the bag off. "Someone will be with you shortly," I was told.

Then came the warm sensation on my leg...was it...why, yes it was! Pee pee leaking on my pants!

Still, "Someone will be with you shortly."

FINALLY, we were RELEASED!!!!!! Done, outta there! Down to the parking garage...at 5:00pm! Just in time for rush hour!

Oh, well, at least we were getting out of that place!

Ah, but the story doesn't end there! What kind of story would it be?

The most exciting part...So, we opted not to pay for the parking before we got to the car. We were just ready to get the heck out of there. We loaded up and made our way to the exit. Of course we had to stop and pay at the machine...there are no actual people anymore to take your money. The ticket won't read. I'm sure Mom is doing something wrong, so I go to the rescue. Still not reading. The people behind us had waited long enough. A girl came to pay for her parking. Her ticket read just fine. Mom pushed the "help" button and we were told someone would be coming to help within 5-10 minutes. Twenty minutes later...no one. They wouldn't even answer our calls anymore! Someone finally came and "fixed" the problem. All we had to do was pay and get out of there. Oh, but, what...it won't read our cards! Three cards later still nothing. All the cash we had was $100 bill that the machine wouldn't take. So. the guy had to escort my poor mother to another machine (in BFE) to pay (with one of the cards that the other machine wouldn't take!).


Then, at 5:45 pm...we made our way out.


Home by 8, 8:30...What a day!


So, to finish...


Thanks Texas Children's...So glad I got to spend my ENTIRE day with you (on 2 1/2 hours of sleep)!








5 comments:

Molli Salzman said...

Ah, don't you love it? I mean, stuff that should take a few hours takes all day. Austin is adorable, and those cheeks--sooo cute!

Take care,

Molli

Unknown said...

Hey there- I know that the trip to Houston was a pretty stressful one!I want you to know that I love you and Austin so much and I am so proud of you. I know that your Mom has been your "rock" but whether you know it or not, you are a rock too and you are an amazing Mom! I can't wait for the day that this struggle is just a memory for Austin. It was so good to talk to you - I'm always here - don't forget it.

aRtcHixX said...

Holy Cow!!
I bet you gals were about to assault that machine and drive through the gate thign or whatever was keeping you in that hospital!!!
YOu gals are like the Super Mom's who pull through in the toughest of the tough!! I hope you, your Mom and Austin are catching up on sleep as we speak...or something close to that! (you dang sure deserve it!)
Ali is SO right - Austin will be so proud of his amazing MOM when he looks back on this, and I believe that he knows now! :-)
e.

Danielle said...

Wow...so glad I'm not the only one who HATES hospital stays! Crap like that happens every single time! So glad you vented...makes me feel less like a negetive-fill-in-the-blank! Glad you're home!

...danielle

Anonymous said...

Oh little man... They wrap Madies head fully with her hair sticking uot the top and wires everywhere!lookinmg like she had some headtrauma! (hes a lil balder than madie...lol)
Oh...you are in my thougts..what an ordeal..Any good things with the Zonegran yet? Im still waiting for something with madie unfortunatly...her seizures are so few but stiiiil there...:(