Not our usual Tuesday trip to Portland

It started out like our normal Tuesday trip to Portland for our appointment at Shriners. We met with Emmy's PT and Emmy set out for her weekly "walk" down the hallway toward the office where the Sticker Ladies hand out stickers. She cried the whole way down the hallway. One of the Sticker Ladies came out to see what was wrong. I had told her PT that she was out of sorts and that she just wasn't herself the last couple of days. She ran a fever on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day but wasn't sick other than that. Over the past few weeks she had complained of a headache at the back of her neck and she had been fussy and irritable. During our visit, Emmy's PT urged me to call her neurosurgeon to rule out shunt issues. Following the appt. I called the neurosurgeon's office and the office manager asked me to take her to the ER. We headed across town to the hospital where Emmy was born (her neurosurgeon and urologist are based out of that hospital). We checked in and were the only ones in the waiting room. They have a seperate waiting room for children.

While we were there, they ran a CT scan to evaluate the flow of fluid in the ventricles of the brain, did a shunt series where they x-ray from the shunt and follow the shunt tube down to the abdomen to make sure there aren't any kinks in the line or that the tubing is disconnected anywhere. The took a urine samble for analysis and inserted an IV. All the shunt related tests came back normal but her urine tested positive for an acute Urinary Tract Infection. They gave her a round of antibiotics in her IV and prescribed antibiotics for us to give her at home. The ER doctors called her urologist and followed his instructions for her care. Her neurosurgeon was also kept in the loop as the tests results came back. For a trip to the ER it was a very pleasant experience. The hospital was wonderful and all the staff very attentive and diligent. For an unplanned trip to the hospital I was very glad we were in the Portland area and that Emmy was able to be seen at Legacy.

Barney was on TV!!!

A bit ago Emmy's urologist called to check on her and find out how she was feeling. He had received the tests results and called to let us know that the antibiotics he had prescribed would in fact work for the type of infection she has. He said he would see us in February for our already scheduled check-up unless a need arises before hand.

Emmy did a fantastic job through this visit. This was the first CT Scan that she has been old enough to realize what is going on. She didn't bat an eye. We told her the camera was going to take pictures of her head and that the bed moved in order for that to happen and she laid still and watched (with big eyes of course). Following the x-rays the tech said that he had never had an easier time with a toddler and that Emmy was the easiest scan he had ever done for someone her age. She got to pick a prize out of the treasure chest and out of all the fun things in the box... she picked a pink toy thermometer so that she could take her baby's temperature. Too cute!

On a bit of an encouraging note, when the nurse put her IV in her foot she moved her leg a bit, meaning that she has some feeling in her right foot. Until she is a bit older and a bit more verbal we really won't know where she has feeling and where she doesn't. Most people with Spina Bifida (even if they are able to walk unassisted) have NO feeling in their feet so that is encouraging.

By the end of the visit to the ER Emmy had won over the staff. If they weren't carrying her around introducing her to other ER staff she was chasing them in her wheels up and down the hallways. (Good thing the children's ER is separate isn't it?). Even a trip to ER doesn't bring this kid down. She is truly amazing!!!

CHEESE!!!