We all say we want to raise strong, independent women. But. The actuality of raising those women? Lordy.
Eden has an echocardiogram every year just to keep an eye on her development and growth and how her heart is functioning. Until last year, we've always had them in Abilene, but apparently the machines in Abilene just don't give great images, so last year she had her first echo in Plano, where our doctor is based. It was a couple of days after Christmas so we were already in the area and it wasn't that big of a deal. This year, with her surgery happening December 10, they wanted to check it before and make sure she's good and strong. That appointment was yesterday afternoon in Dallas.
Since her appointment wasn't until noon, we decided to just drive up and back in one day and save the money on a hotel. We have family in DFW, but everyone lives at least an hour or more from the hospital, so it's just easier for us to stay at the hotel 2 minutes from the hospital. We were up early, Dad got Eden dressed, and she and I were out of the house before 8. A pitstop at AM Donuts for fortifications, and we were on the road. She ate her donut, drank some milk, chattered about nonsense, and was passed out by 845.
She's a pretty good road tripper, for the most part.
We got to the hospital around 1030 and parked, then hiked the seemingly half a mile in to the cardiology wing. I discovered at hospital check in that I don't know where my driver's license is. It turned out ok, but that's an alarming thing to discover three hours from home. We got up to the cardio check in desk and discovered that we were early. An hour and a half early. And they couldn't check us in for an hour. I don't get the why of that, but whatever. Luckily, Eden has a healthy imagination and I'd brought my kindle to read so we were relatively ok for that hour. We went downstairs to grab some food at one point and ended up both eating just a bag of chips. Though Eden managed to drag out a small bag of chips for three hours.
Eventually, they handed me some paperwork, pointed me down a hall and told me to go to the next waiting room. In gathering up stuff and Eden, I missed exact directions and ended up in a waiting room labeled "Echo Waiting" which was the wrong room. After five or so minutes there, the woman who directed us came looking and told me where we were supposed to be. The benefit of sitting in the wrong place meant that when we got to the right place, we were taken right back to a room where they took Eden's vitals.
She's big for her age, but overall healthy and there were no concerns over weight or size or anything. Her blood pressure was good, too.
After that check, we were sent back to the echo waiting room, this time for real. We were there for about 5 or 10 mintues, and that's where Eden made friends with a little girl named Aster who was there for her heart surgery. Her mom was nervous and chatty so I learned she was air lifted at birth to Children's and diagnosed with (I think) a problem with her tricuspid valve and as a result, she was there for about 6 weeks after birth before she was allowed home. And now at 3, one side of her heart is bigger than the other, so she was there for her surgery yesterday. She was petite and quiet, especially compared to Eden who's just a big ole ball of sass and personality.
We went back for the echo before they were called and spent the next hour in a dark room while the tech did the echo of Eden's heart. They have a cool set up with a pad so Eden was watching Alice in Wonderland through the whole thing. After, they took us back to the area where she'd had her vitals and waited for the doctor to come discuss the results with us.
Everything looked good and she had no concerns and Eden is cleared for surgery as far as her heart is concerned. We talked about a small incident that happened at a birthday party a few weeks ago where Eden likely experienced vasovagal syncope (basically she got overexcited and nearly fainted). Eden hasn't had any other issues before or since but the doctor told us if it happens again to call Children's. Vasovagal isn't typically anything to worry about and a lot of people experience it. But for Eden, it's a little more concerning.
So yay, one more thing to watch out for. Because there wasn't enough already.
After all that, we realized we hadn't gotten a pulse/ox, so they did that and then she got a 24 hour EKG holter. Which I discovered yesterday is spelled "holter" and not "halter." Because sure.
She was finished then so we checked out and discovered there was no payment required, which was a pleasant surprise. Then we started the half hour trek back to the car.
Eden was wearing shoes that were too big, so she couldn't and wouldn't walk faster than a snail's pace. I think babies learning to crawl move faster than she did all day yesterday. I slowed my pace down considerably, but if I'd walked with her I'd have been basically stationary. So I'd walk a few paces, then stop and wait for a minute (not kidding) then continue on. Everytime I slowed or stopped, she slowed. A few times people thought she was wandering through the hospital on her own, she was so far behind me. I finally lost my temper on the way from the echo to the exam room and grabbed her hand and made her walk faster. And on the way to the car, she was practically crawling across the driveway, so I grabbed her hand none too gently and basically dragged her to the car. I was carrying her backpack, my purse, the return envelope for the EKG machine, the paperwork, her cup, and Roby, her robot, while also dragging her crying through the parking garage. I was pretty well done.
She got a chocolate chip cookie as her reward for good behavior through the day while I filled up with gas, then we hit the road a little after 3. A stop in Ranger to text Austin some info and another 15 minutes from home because she had to pee RIGHT NOW and we finally made it home around 6. When she promptly threw a temper tantrum because she wanted to ride her bike and it was too dark. In bringing her in, Austin inadvertently unhooked two of the leads, so we had to get those reattached and note it on the diary. I was wiped out so went to bed to rest and Austin put on a tv show for her until bedtime. And at some point she took the EKG stuff off.
I just lost it. Austin lost it. We managed to get it back on her and upset her enough that she actually stayed in bed the rest of the night and this morning, she still has it on. I need to call the hospital and explain what happened and see what they want to do. They need the results before her surgery, so we've got about a month to get it done, but still. This is hugely annoying.
She's a good kid, if a spoiled one. She CAN behave, she just chooses not to a lot of the time. Luckily yesterday she chose to most of the time. She saved the misbehaving for home.
Ten hours of just us was a lot. She talks practically non-stop and she's very very 3. Luckily, the next several appointments are just regular ones here in town and Austin will be with us for her surgery so I won't have to deal with her alone.
Introvert mom traveling with extrovert toddler is EXHAUSTING.
