Background: At the age of one month, Whatsit Jr. came down with RSV, which led to a bacterial pneumonia caused by MRSA, aka methicillin-resistant staph A. After three weeks in the hospital, including 10 days on a ventilator and two chest tube insertions; and a six-week course of IV-administered vancomycin, he recovered and has been a happy and healthy little guy ever since.
Except we kept bringing him back to the chest clinic at Children’s Hospital for follow-up X-rays, and unfortunately there’s still an opaque area on one of his lungs. They think it’s probably just scarring from the pneumonia which will clear up on its own eventually, but it also could be a “structural abnormality” in his lung, and apparently the CT scan will reveal which it is.
They have to sedate him for it, because good luck telling a 16-month-old to hold perfectly still for a medical procedure, and I am really not looking forward to it. I’ve had enough of seeing my baby all hooked up to wires and machines in a hospital. But I guess it’s for the best. We find out the results a week later, at a follow-up chest clinic appointment.
So… keep us in your thoughts tomorrow if you spare a moment, hey?
Goodness, he’s been through quite a bit for a little guy (and you too)! Here’s hoping you get the all clear tomorrow, literally.
Your darling is, as always, in my prayers.
For now, I am sending you ALL love and prayers and positive vibes. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help…well, I don’t think you NEED it right now, but just in general…I’m just an email and a two hour drive away.
My Love,
Cheri
Your family’s in my thoughts, definitely. I know from my parents that it’s difficult seeing your kid hooked up to all sorts of medical equipment; the good thing is, he most likely won’t remember it when he gets older. 
I feel for you. That was always so unimaginable to me, having to see Cranky Jr go through scary procedures when I couldn’t really comfort him or hold him.
Sending good thoughts your way.
Childrens is great – I’m sure everything will be just fine. MRSA is a real bitch, after what your little one’s been through already, a CT should be no problem, and over real quickly.
Thanks for the kind words, everybody.
Today went surprisingly well. I thought they’d have to insert an IV for the sedative, but when we showed up, the nurse said that the radiologist didn’t think we needed to do contrast dye, so Whatsit Jr. could take the sedative orally. He did, and after 20 minutes or so of fussing, conked out. They rolled him down to the CT scanner and we watched through the window while the machine beeped and flashed at him for awhile, and then they brought him back to the recovery room. Unfortunately, 30 minutes later the radiologist decided they needed the contrast dye after all, so they had to stick an IV in his foot. He cried a bit in his sleep, but astoundingly did not wake up completely. Back to the CT scanner, more beeping and flashing, and then back to the recovery room for good.
Whatsit Jr. then proceeded to sleep for the next three and a half hours while I finished the library book I’d brought and then worked on a grocery list, and then stared at the ceiling for awhile. Clearly I badly underestimated the length of time he would be out cold. MrWhatsit attempted to nap on the floor, to the great amusement of our nurse.
When Whatsit Jr. finally woke up, he was in a pretty good mood, although kind of groggy and loopy still. When we got him home, he was walking around like a drunken sailor, bobbing his head back and forth and bouncing off the walls. (They warned us about this at Children’s.) He also ate like a horse.
Oh, and I almost forgot the best news of all! The radiologist stopped by our room while Whatsit Jr. was recovering, to “allay any fears we might have had about the contrast dye procedure.” She told us that based on her preliminary review, it looks like there are no underlying structural abnormalities in his lungs and the opacity is all from pneumonia scarring! WOO-HOO! This probably means the end of X-rays and CT scans, which have been going on since he was one month old. I am so excited I could just… um… make a grocery list. (It’s been a long day; cut me some slack.)
Just thought I’d update you all on how the procedure went. We’re all tickled pink here in the Whatsit household.
I’m so happy for you! P the Elder went through some testing last year and it was so awful watching him be so brave. It would be even harder with such a little one. I’m thrilled you got a positive result too