MRI and the results....

Yesterday was Beau's second ever MRI.  Thankfully Beau's Aunt Gabbi was kind enough to drop off a container of trucks and cars that cousin Lucas wanted to give to Beau from his own collection.  As you can see from the picture, Beau was very excited for the new toys and it made our drive down and time at the hospital, a little easier on him. 

We arrived bright and early at the University of Iowa for the test.  We were blessed with a visit from our awesome social worker, Jim shortly after we got there.  He always checks on us and makes sure we don't have any needs he might be able to help us with.  Beau was doing well at this time - around 9 AM - as he hadn't had anything to eat or drink after midnight.  He was starting to sign "drink" while we were in the lobby waiting for the MRI but otherwise he wasn't grumpy or crabby at all.  A sedation team nurse came out to the lobby to visit with us.  When I looked up to see him I recognized him as the sedation nurse we had, had for Beau's first MRI two years ago.  His name is Roger and I immediately said to him that he was the one who had been there for Beau's initial MRI.  He checked the computer and found that I was right.  I reminded him that I would never forget that day and would never forget the doctors and kind people that were a part of it.  Roger is probably in his fifties and is just amazing with kids.  He was so good with Beau.  He checked veins all over his little body and put numbing cream on several locations. 

After about 30 minutes, time enough for the numbing medication to take effect, Roger came back out and got us.  At this point, Beau was catching on to the fact that once again people in white coats and scrubs were surrounding him and it might be painful.  He started to panic and was pretty upset.  Roger got the IV in his hand on the first try but Beau was hysterical.  He doesn't usually get that way - especially when the hand was numbed.  Heck, this poor kid has had so many needle pokes and tons are without any numbing cream and he does fine with them - better than I would!  As Roger put it, unfortunately Beau has been around this type of stuff so many times, he knows what's coming and it's starting to scare him. 

Roger got the first dose of medication into Beau.  It took about 7 minutes and Beau was asleep.  It made him upset as the medication went in and he fought the drug but eventually he was asleep.  He made the cutest little cooing noises as he lay there in my arms sound asleep.  We waited a few minutes and I stood up and laid him on the bed to transport him to the MRI.  It was like he sensed the altitude change lol.  He woke up so fast and started screaming and fighting.  I picked him back up and Roger had to add a second dose.  This time he was out for the count.  The radiologist spoke with us and explained a few things to us and then they took him for the test.

After only about 30 minutes, the test was complete and from the waiting room, I could hear Beau's cry.  Sure enough, the doctor came around the corner to get us.  Roger was holding Beau instead of Beau being asleep on the gurney.  Roger said that when he went to transfer Beau from the MRI table to the gurney, he woke up so fast.  Roger laughed because he couldn't figure out how he could wake up so fast with all the medication in him.  They transported him upstairs to recovery and Beau fell back asleep.

After about 15 minutes we woke him up to see if we could get him to drink so that the IV could be removed and we could go home.  He took his drink and out came the IV.  It was time to head home!

Above is a picture of Beau shortly after we got into the car and were driving home!  He is out and super pale!! He's one tough kiddo though and we were so proud of him.

Today I received a call from a nurse in neurology at the U of I.  The preliminary report was back from the radiologist.  There weren't any new findings on this MRI or any changes from his initial MRI from 2 years ago.  This is somewhat expected, as Dr. Joshi had warned us that she may not be able to see cortical dysplasia on an MRI.  She had said that if she didn't see it on the MRI, then she would order a PET scan.  Now I wait to hear from Dr. Joshi and I look ahead to another test.  All of these tests are required anyway if surgery becomes an option or recommendation.  There is a series of steps and I guess we need to look at this as Step One in the series.  I wasn't sure how to feel when the nurse told me the results.  Relieved that there is nothing new on there?  Yes.  Disappointed that they didn't see something that could be the cause of the seizures and might be fixable?  Yes.  Understanding of the fact that the MRI might not show the cortical dysplasia and that the PET scan might ultimately hold our answer?  Yes.  I am glad there isn't anything aside from the P-ACC, which we of course already knew about.  I am half hoping though that the PET Scan shows cortical dysplasia that may be surgically fixable.  Or it may show cortical dysplasia, but there may be so many areas affected, that surgery isn't an option.  If surgery was an option and meant that Beau might be able to live life seizure free, wouldn't that be amazing for him?  It's all a bunch of "what ifs" so I guess I can't sit around contemplating until we know the facts.  The pieces of Beau's Medical Puzzle are slowly falling in to place.  Some moments I wish they were falling in to place a lot quicker. 

For today, I rejoice in the fact that no new, major issues were found.  For that, I am grateful and God is good.  Tomorrow we'll worry about Step Two.