ABR, MRI & CT

Peyton had an ABR, MRI, and CT Scan on November 19th - a big day for her - these tests would tell us if she is able to have her surgery for cochlear implants so she can hear!  Poor baby was not loving life this day.  The day before, she had only eaten some goldfish and a single bowl of cereal because she felt so crappy from having a fever as a result of her immunizations, and we couldn't let her eat anything that morning because she was going under general anesthesia.  She was allowed to have clear liquids, but she didn't want anything to drink - she just wanted cereal.  She cried when we told her she couldn't have anything - it broke our hearts! 

Once we arrived at Children's Hospital, she started to get worried, fussing a little bit as we walked in - she's starting to become familiar with that place!  When we were finally called back to a room, she started crying - she could sense something was about to happen that she didn't like.  She fought me when I had to take her clothes off and put on hospital jammies.  We were in that little room for what seemed like an eternity, and Peyton cried each time a new person would come into the room.  She was worried about being poked and prodded, and I don't blame her! 

Finally, it was time for her procedures to begin, and we were allowed to be with her until she was asleep.  I left the room in tears.  She fought the gas mask (and had spit out the medication they gave her earlier to help calm her), so they had to hold her down and didn't want her remembering us holding her down, but we did hold her arms and I talked to her and told her we loved her as it was all happening.  It didn't take long, and her little eyes closed, and I could see her little tummy going up and down rapidly - I knew she was in good hands, but it made me really sad - Darren didn't like it either.  It made both of us feel awful.  Darren held me as I let my tears out, and then we went to the cafeteria for some lunch.  Then, we waited...

A few hours later, they called us in to let us know she was being wheeled to recovery.  The audiologist told us that the ABR (a hearing test) confirmed that she is profoundly deaf in both ears.  Those would be our only results that day - the rest would have to come later - and those were the ones we were anxious to know the results of because we already knew she was deaf!  We needed to know if her cochlea looked normal and if she had the auditory nerve.  That wait felt like it would be agonizing!

After our conversation with the audiologist, we went back to the recovery room, and there was our precious little girl - still asleep.  They wanted to be sure we were there when she woke up.  As she started to wake up, they let me pick her up.  She was glad to be in my arms, but so NOT happy to have an IV in her hand and a heart monitor on the other hand.  She cried and cried all the way from the recovery room to her private recovery room.  One of the nurses came in and asked if we thought she would feel better if they removed everything, and we said, "Yes!"  She cried really loud while the poor nurse was working to remove them, which made it harder, but when they were finally off, she signed, "Thank You" to the nurse and then pointed to the door, indicating that she could leave now!  Sweet and cute, we thought!  So did the nurse. 

Peyton ate 2 full-size popsicles, and an hour later, we were discharged.  We went to Noodles and Company for dinner, and Peyton was her usual happy self as soon as we left the recovery area and stayed that way all evening.  It was like it had never happened.  She ate a whole bowl of chicken noodle soup and played for the rest of the night at home.  She had some trouble sleeping, waking up around 4:30 just screaming - I ended up sleeping with her, but it was one of those nights where she just could not be consoled.  I think everything caught up with her - the shots, fever, and trauma of the procedures that day.  Poor kid!  And then she was find the next morning.  My sweet girl.