Hospital day - CT scan

Update: Aug 1 still no result

Just a chronological account of our hospital day;

7.30u
Departure from home. We have an appointment for a CT scan at 9am, followed by an appointment with the immunologist to check his blood and discuss any further course. Hopefully we can go home on time today.

Half a sandwich in the car because Gideon has to be sober for the CT scan afterwards.

8.45u
Fortunately in time at the hospital. We were afraid it would take longer because of the Nijmegen 4daagse, but it was not too bad.

On the ward, the nurse tells us that Gideon has to drink 900ml of diluted contrast medium. We look at her in disbelief and say he can't even drink that in a whole day, let alone in an hour! She says there is nothing else to do then but to insert a tube. We look at each other questioningly and ask her if it really has to be 900ml? Surely that will never fit in a toddler's body? Well, yes, then she went to check anyway. Oops, it was an adult dose after all! Gideon only had to drink 150ml. Fortunately, the tube had not yet been inserted...

Then we got to play and drink the fluid from 9.50am in an hour. I said just to be sure that he also needed an infusion for blood sampling the contrast fluid. No, not according to her, but she asked anyway just to be sure.

Still a drip... "sigh". Fortunately, over the years we have learnt to keep a close watch. And we had already prepared Gideon at home for that. In preparation, half an hour of 'magic ointment' on the top of his hands to numb the skin a little so the pricking would be less painful.

9.15u
Unfortunately, after a few attempts to prick his hands, it didn't work, poor Gideon... He was already difficult to prick as a baby, but now that he is experiencing everything so consciously, it is a lot more intense. Luckily he was allowed to sit on the couch with daddy during the pricking, which made a difference.

Ended up placing the drip in the inside of the arm. A bit awkward, but fortunately easier. Too bad there was no anaesthetic ointment there. Then he kept asking: "We don't need another injection, do we? No, dear, we don't need any more pricks now.

10.50u
We are ready in the CT scan waiting room.

11.30u
We are still waiting for the CT scan

12.00u
There have been urgencies in between.
(thankful Gideon is not an emergency!!)
Oh well, we are enjoying ourselves and fortunately Gideon is not hungry yet.

12.30u
It was our turn, yay! Gideon found it a little tense at first, especially because the bed was moving. But fortunately he soon became very calm and was even able to lie completely still and carry out instructions like "breathe in and out". Nathanael was allowed to be there to hold his hands.

13.15u
Back at nursery where we ask if Gideon can eat something, as he had to stay sober for the CT scan. Mmm, tasty such a sandwich with CHEESE 🙂 ...

13.45u
We ask when we can see the immunologist, because then we can go home afterwards?

14.15u
Interview with the immunologist:Blood results were that there were virtually no inflammation levels measured. Fortunately, this means that if there is still inflammation, it is probably still 'encapsulated', otherwise Gideon would have been sick with it too. She also had many questions about the course of healing the wound after the surgery.

15.00u
A paediatrician (and also immunologist) will join the interview. He will further outline the treatment plan together with our surgeon.

He had looked at the images of the CT scan very briefly, but he did not have an official result of the CT yet because more people have to look at it. But he was able to tell us the following:
There was some fluid under the wound, and if the infection is indeed still there, there is a problem. They want to avoid surgery at all costs, because of the adhesions, which would make the operation too dangerous. So at the next ultrasound examination, they want to try to take some of the infection with a needle, and again culture some of it to know which antibiotics to use.

He said the following: "Against our better judgment, we are probably going to try to reduce the infection through antibiotics." He said they know the infection is unlikely to go away from that, but there is just no other option at the moment.

And he was also somewhat surprised that Gideon was not sick from it or had contracted something like blood poisoning. He literally said "Apparently he has a rock-solid immune system". That's good to hear 🙂

17.00u
Home again

Another old-fashioned intensive day in hospital with lots of emotions. We are happy that Gideon probably does not need surgery yet, but the reason why is a bit double. We will hear the final results of the CT scan and what the next steps will be.

We are also very grateful that there is no acute reason for action at the moment either. It is quite annoying that the wound is still open, hygienic treatment and a new plaster every day. Even when we want to swim in the warm weather, we have to put a big piece of plastic over the plaster to close it off completely, so no 'dirty' water can reach the wound. The skin around his wound is now very sensitive and dry. Other than that, Gideon is still not much bothered by it and we continue to enjoy it (despite a week of illness)!

Again uncertainty, so far often had in Gideon's little life. Yet we keep our eye on God, whom we still believe has our best interests at heart. We experience His Faithfulness, over and over again.