Pre-Op Testing

Zachy went into the hospital yesterday for a series of pre-op tests.  They sedated him for his echo, so he had to fast in the morning.  Normally he doesn't eat much for breakfast anyway, but oh, how he loves his milk!  As usual, the appointments took much longer than expected, so our poor baby didn't get to eat until around two in the afternoon.  His hunger, together with his hospital anxiety, made for a tough morning.

First up was a chest x-ray.  This gives his doctors a good pre-op baseline of what his heart and lungs look like.  They often compare it to post-op films, to diagnose "wet" lungs (pleural effusions) and fluid around the heart, among other things.  Now, if your little one has ever had a chest x-ray, you'll understand how terrifying it can be.  They use what I call a medieval torture device... a contraption where baby sits, as if on a saddle, and is strapped in with his arms in the air and his body unable to move.  This keeps babies motionless and MAKES THEM SCREAM SENSELESS so they get good deep breaths and fill their lungs with air.  Mommies and Daddies hate it, too.  Fortunately I got to wait outside and Steve did the dirty work of accompanying Zachy in the torture chamber.

Zachy is waiting in radiology.  He is not happy.  He got lots of compliments on his "Zipper Club" shirt from hospital folks and parents.   Some of you may know Brittney Butcher who received a new heart at U of M about a year and a half ago. Her family sent us these "Zipper Club" shirts and we wear them with pride. Thank you, Butcher family! Brittney will be here for a checkup today and we hope to meet her then!

Zachy is getting ready for an exam before his echo.  We're just undressing him to get a weight, but he won't have anything to do with it.  Check it out:



Little stinker put up such a fight that he cuddled up with Mommy and ended up falling asleep... before they came in to give him sedation!

...but... he woke up just in time to get a good dose of chloral hydrate, which knocked him out for another hour or two!


Zachy getting his echo...


...and EKG.

Zachy was soooo sleepy coming off his sedation, and we didn't get done at the hospital until around 2 p.m.  When he woke up, he acted like a drunken little sailor, and had trouble walking all afternoon.

Alex and David seem to be doing well at their aunt and uncle's house.  They're leaving on a camping trip today and are so excited!  Joseph isn't doing as well.  He came down with the stomach flu and was keeping my parents busy last night.  Hopefully it will be pass so he can play in his post-season t-ball tournament tonight.  Sammy is doing fine.  He was watching King Kong yesterday and near the end of the film, he told my mom, "Now watch, Grandma, watch!  King Kong is going to fall off the ENTIRE  State Building!"  I miss my boys!