Our Journey to Carson

The Good...and the Really, Really Bad...

Sunday, we went to lunch with our friends Scott and Sarah to meet their new baby. (This is the "Good" of the title...) Actually, I had already met Baby Slade at the hospital, but Kevin and the kids didn't go with me. A few pics...

Slade, the sleeping angel (who didn't make a PEEP during lunch!)

Selleck's enjoying the ranch dressing...and Carson looks disgusted by the mess!

The "big boys" holding hands as we head to our cars...how cute is that?!

Congrats to Scott and Sarah on your new addition!!!

OK, now the REAL reason you checked in today...this is the "Really, Really Bad" of the title today...

Carson's EMG was yesterday. Originally, I was going to go alone with him for this awful test. But Daddy called me at 7:30 in the morning and said he was bringing home breakfast and going along, that it wasn't fair for me to always be the "bad guy" with this medical stuff. While I was originally trying to protect Daddy from the awfulness that was coming, I have to admit it was REALLY nice to have him come along! (Score BIG points for Daddy!!)

We were told to bring a movie to be used as distraction during the EMG. I brought a couple of VHS tapes as backups, but our surprise for Carson (happy surprise) was that I packed the laptop and the Ultraman DVDs that we bought in China. We had them hidden away since we got home...they are quite violent and he used to get so wound up that we would have trouble explaining him back to a calm state. Now that he understands English, though, it is a do-able thing. While the doctor was setting up the equipment, we got out the laptop and started watching...
Unfortunately, after these were taken, the photo ops were OVER! The doctor started by checking Carson's left arm. She had a tool that had two prongs on it, and she would place on it his arm and give him a slight shock. He actually did quite well during this and was mostly distractable with the movie. After 20 minutes or so of this, the doctor wanted to check one of his legs. This put Carson thoroughly over the edge! He was so angry that she was taking off his sock and using her "tool" -- as we were calling it -- on his ankle and leg! I asked her why he was so much more upset, and she said it is common since he knew what to expect after the arm portion. He yelled at her and cried...it was awful!

After that part of the test was finished, the doctor told Carson that Mommy had to have a turn since it was my fault that he had to have it done. I was beyond angry when she said that! I didn't order this EMG, SHE did...and I told her so!! She didn't care...I had to be shocked in front of Carson, that was part of the deal. (Why Daddy got off the hook, I'll NEVER know!) She shocked the inner part of my wrist...it felt like a sharp snap with a rubberband and it did make my entire hand jump. Not painful, exactly, but not fun for sure!! I didn't mind feeling the shock for Carson's sake, but I really resented that doctor for making me the bad guy!! Uggghhh!!!!

The last part of the test was the needle part. As the doctor was setting up, Carson seemed to know what was coming wasn't good. He kept saying, "Dock-er?!" with this intensity in his voice that just said, "We need to talk about this!" She kept replying, "Yes, Carson, I'm your doctor." He was getting more and more nervous and she kept ignoring it. This chick's bedside manner was impressing me less and less!

Thankfully, she only had to use the needle twice and only on the one arm. The first needle caught him (and me) off guard, and he jumped so hard he nearly fell off the bed! She took that one out pretty quickly, but then it was time for the repeat. Seeing his reaction the first time, Daddy jumped over to help and held his legs. I had a bear hug on him and she stuck the needle into his arm muscle a second time. Poor guy...he was in agony!! They weren't shocking him through the needle, but it was measuring his muscle somehow. Then we were done.

Results wise, she said he does have a small biceps muscle and his nerves are intact...all good news. They want to do an MRI and a muscle biopsy to further the workup. When I asked her if we were doing this to determine a cure or fix for Carson, she told me no. She said muscle issues can potentially cause him problems in other areas and we need to define exactly what he has to anticipate those problems. (For example, some muscle tone issues can make a person risky for inhalation anesthesia -- a common method of anesthesia. If he has those muscle tone issues, inhalation anesthesia could put him into malignant hyperthermia...which is usually fatal. This is something we definitely need to know for sure before he needs his tonsils out, or an emergency appendectomy, or -- God forbid -- surgery following a car accident.) The doctor also told me that Carson will need to know if his condition is genetic and can be passed on to his future children.

After the awfulness of the morning, we told Carson he could have whatever he wanted for lunch. He chose "choc-it nukshake and fench fies" (aka chocolate milkshake and French fries). We headed to Big Boy for a special lunch. When we got home from lunch, we all took a nap -- that morning was exhausting! (And, yes, Kevin, you did fall asleep in your chair -- your snoring woke me up!)

Special thanks to our friends and family who kept Carson in their thoughts and prayers yesterday morning! Next up...the MRI.