Thursday, March 14, 2013

Conflicting

When will hospital and medical staff ever learn that parents really do know best? When will educational curriculums for all the different medical professions stress that point to their students? It certainly can’t be soon enough.

When the scheduler at the pediatrician’s office set up Ashley’s ultrasound appointment for this past Tuesday, she very clearly stated that Ashley did not do well in hospitals and with hospital procedures. She told the radiology department that anesthesia would be needed because Ashley was not, among other things, even going to get out of her wheelchair to get on a stretcher. And keep in mind that we were just at this particular hospital, in the radiology department, last week for Ashley’s CT scan under anesthesia.

The ultrasound person was convinced that he could do the test without anesthesia. He said if Ashley got too upset, they would give her a mild sedative. Yea, well, so much for that….

Ashley was VERY upset to be back at the hospital. As we left the registration desk, she locked her legs and pushed back very hard on her wheelchair, clearly indicating she was not happy. Since she is an adult now (or will be on March 29th) and weighs in at 150 pounds, I have a really tough time holding her wheelchair back when she does that. My hip is bruised from having to try.

After calming her in registration, we headed to radiology. Again, as we were being instructed on which room to enter, she locked her legs and refused to enter. I have figured out that if I turn her around and go in backwards, I can usually get her in the room. I’m sure, though, that she will figure out a way to circumvent that very soon.

Not to bore you with details, but the fight was on. Finally I told the tech that if he could try to get the scan in her wheelchair or we would leave. He did acquiesce and tried it in the chair. Ashley tensed up a few more times, but eventually the tech said he had all he needed, and we left to go home.

The pediatrician called me later that evening and told me that the test results were negative for a blood clot. Of course that means the CT scan results and the ultrasound results conflict. The doctor’s next steps involve us seeing a hematologist/oncologist at Massey Cancer Center.  There are two words in that previous sentence that sent me over the edge….

I’m waiting to hear about an appointment, and promise to keep you posted. I’m not handling all this very well….

1 comment:

Just the Tip said...

we have been to the pediatric hemo/onc at VCU, dr. goddher I think is who we usually see, she is awesome. They thought M had a neuroblastoma possibly when she was a few months old in her abdomen (HELLO STRESS) but they still see her for their blood clotting issues.

BLAH. I hope you get a quick appointment. HUGS HUGS HUGS.