Back from the MRI

Alasdair came out from his MRI appointment around 5:30pm. Everything went fine with the anesthesia, but we won't have the MRI results back for awhile. Perhaps tonite, if not, tomorrow. The radiologist needs to review them with Alasdair's doctor and one of the resident neurologists.

This session was merely precautionary in the first place. My post earlier was misleading, it actually has nothing to do with his Hirschbrung's diagnosis. In fact, I hear there is nothing written in the medical literature about any related cases of a neural disorder and Hirschbrung's. Instead, when Alasdair arrived here from Providence last Wednesday he was quickly seen by the neurologist. He noticed he was a little stiff or rigid in his joints. I dunno what that really means but apparently it warrants an MRI around here.

I took a few photos today, the first is as he reappeared from his MRI. He looks fairly pathetic, but he's feeling just fine. I'll try to summarize everything you see going on, starting with his i.v. line on his scalp, it is merely a supplemental i.v. that they can administer medication with on the fly. Most of the time it is unused, but earlier they had one of his anitbiotics channeled through and I think they were planning on using it for general anesthesia if the gas didn't work.

But, I think they did just gas him asleep, he's still got those tubes sticking out of his nose, but they're not currently hooked up, the same for the tube in his mouth.

But the other skinny little green tube in his nose goes all the way down to his stomach. Every few minutes it makes a little suck noise and tries to pull any acid or bile in his stomach out. It catches in a little vial further down the line. It's empty most of the time but he yeilded 9ccs at one point this morning.

Just bandaids anymore on his hands. They've removed his i.v. from his left hand and the arterial line from his right.

Those are heart rate and breathing rate sensors on his chest. Watching those monitors track his stats is so mesmerizing for me, puts me to sleep in minutes. Below the sensors you can see his incision from Wednesday's surgery.

One foot now has a blood pressure cuff, tinest little one you'll ever see.

The other foot has his PICC line (Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter), it's essentially just a long term i.v. It's got a little red LED on it that they usually just have taped to the bottom of his foot. But right now it taped to his big toe making the eerie glow. The next photo is close up of this. This is where he's getting his food and antibiotics.

The last photo is his attending RN's shoes. What's the deal with those?!