MRIs, titanium knees and bad guy bones

Today was finally MRI day!!!! Three weeks into this journey, today was the day we have dreaded and anticipated since the moment "posterior fassa tumor", "unknown cranial mass", and "spinal abnormalities" were introduced into our vocabulary. Along the way, we've received incredibly encouraging news from the pediatric ophthalmologist and craniofacial plastic surgeon, but the golden ticket to information lays squarely on the MRI results. 

This morning we woke Nick up early so Jason could take Nick to IHOP with the hope that Nick would pig out since he wouldn't be allowed to eat past 7 a.m. for a scheduled 2:30 start time. If you know Nick, you know this was no small hurdle. My child has always been able to dominate food. He eats more before 10 a.m. than most humans want to eat before 10 p.m. I used to joke I was worried I would be called on Maury Povich for "MOMS WHO LET THEIR KIDS EAT TOO MUCH!!!". 


While Nick and Jay ate, I stayed home and used my time to get my mind right. At that very moment, my dad was undergoing a total knee replacement in Cincinnati. Times like these the miles separating my family seem to expand and contract simultaneously. I can't help my mom in any practical way, but man, can we PRAY and just pour positive energy all over each other! My dad and his new titanium knee came out of surgery well and will be chilling in a hospital bed until about Saturday.


By the time we arrived at Texas Children's around noon, the lack of food and now drink was setting in. Thankfully, the nurses at TCH are just SPECIAL people and helped us power through. 


We explained to Nick that the doctors thought there was a possibility that he might be a superhero and needed to take pictures of his neck bones and brain. Naturally, Nick chose to wear his "bones of the bad guy" pajamas. The nurses agreed and allowed him to wear his PJs. We had a great surprise and Nick was able to see Grandpa right before his MRI. He LOVED it and loved doing magic tricks with Grandpa. We were REALLY needing a distraction at that point. Perfect timing, Grandpa!

Family self-portrait

Along this journey, there continue to be moments of deep faith and moments where I know I'm just not right. While having the sedation protocol explained to us, I had a "you're not right" moment. The CRNA was explaining something about starting with Propofol and then using some nitrous oxide. Here's what I blurted out..."So, we're going to start with some Michael Jackson and then add a dash of Demi Moore?" Immediately followed by..."Sorry, I read too much PEOPLE." 
In the end, he was intubated which wasn't awesome, and watching him go "under" was a little uneasy. Like generations of Costa Rican women before me have done to their children, I bent close to his head, placed the sign of the cross on his forehead with my thumb and whispered to him that the "Virgencita" was with him, that he was blessed and asked "La Virgencita" to protect him. Finally, it was all happening. He was getting both his cervical spine and brain MRIs and soon, we will have some answers.   Knowledge truly is power.

Doesn't he look cute waking up......?

Well, I'm glad he looks cute, because he started acting like an angry drunk at closing time about 2 minutes after this picture was taken.  A strawberry milkshake seemed to help alleviate my hungry, angry little "drunk's" sore throat and overall misery. 


We are home now. Tomorrow, I will pull out my "Nick's Medical Records" binder and I will be looking forward to getting results (hopefully Friday), filing today's paperwork and thinking about next steps. But for tonight, I'm going to pour a "Big Carl" glass of wine, and bask in the gratitude I feel toward each of you who have kept us held tight with your positive energy and lifted in your prayers.