A little help?

Two weeks ago, the pediatrician and I were discussing the October EEG and I decided to call and be the squeaky wheel, just check for cancellations. When I called, the nurse said, "I'm sorry, ma'am, we don't have any right now, but since you're on the--Oh, you're NOT on the cancellation list. Would you like me to add you?" Of course I said yes, because the day we scheduled the October appointment I was told I would be added to the cancellation list. I wasn't upset, these things happen. I was just relieved I had called and we were now actually on the list.

This Monday, while Dr. H and I were on the phone discussing a certain small person's bowel habits (we had a close call and almost had to give an enema), and the talk turned to the EEG. She said, "It never hurts to call once a week...eventually they'll get tired of the calls and try and get you in a quickly as possible." I never had a chance to try out her advice, because yesterday we got the call. An opening, next Tuesday at 1:30.

I'm thrilled and nervous. Maybe I'm slightly panicked now, too. I'm thrilled because we don't have to wait until October! Also, I know perhaps I'm tempting fate here, but she hasn't had an episode in a month. If she can hold out, I'm sure with the stress of the hospital environment, we can get one of these on record and that would be priceless. [side note to Fate, I'm not asking for a pass here or being "hopeful" that one might not happen...I'm hoping one will happen, but at the right time. If you could indulge me this one time and not let the Jinx loose on my sorry arse, I'd be much obliged] I'm nervous because this is a 48 hour to 5 day EEG study. I will be entertaining a healthy, active two year old in the hospital for 2-5 days. Oh, and she'll be hooked up to one of these:



I'm panicked because effing Dean is headed this way. We won't know for sure if the hurricane will grace us with his presence until Sunday, but the guesses for now it that he will, to some extent. Josh is on an emergency data recovery team at work. That means that if there is going to be an evacuation, we are flown out with his team to a hot site. That means we don't need to go through another round of hellish Rita flashbacks. But it also means that if we have to evacuate, I'm going to have to choose between keeping the appointment and riding things out in the hospital while Josh flies across the country and my parents take BubTar with them wherever they go....and giving up this most perfectly timed of appointments. I don't think I could bear to have us parceled out like that in case of an evacuation, so if Josh gets the call, I think we'll cancel and fly away...but I can't express how much I don't want that to happen. We need this appointment. When we accepted the closer appointment, our October date was canceled, and if we have to reschedule, I'm sure it will not be before December. Our wonderful insurance runs out in February, so we're always mindful of that when rescheduling. If they are full up until February, then we're in trouble. Initially, they told us that the first available was February, but they pulled strings to get us the October date. I don't know how a reschedule at this point would go. If you lovelies could collectively send some thoughts, vibes, prayers...whatever you can manage that this can play out and we can get the information we need, I would be infinitely appreciative.

Now on to the practical bit of what I need; I know a good portion of my readers are also parents of two year olds, and even if you aren't the parent of a two year old right now, you probably have been in the past. I need ideas of things to keep my KayTar happy in the hospital. For 2-5 days. Hooked up to an EEG machine. I'm good at this stuff, I can keep KayTar entertained so she will stay in her stroller for two hours in the pediatrician's waiting area, but 2-5 days seems like a tall order. So give me your best tricks. Also, if you've been in the hospital with a young child, let me know necessities to be packed, both for her and I. I'll be solo parenting this one. BubTar will be with my parents while Josh works, then with Josh in the evenings. I need a big bag of tricks to get through this.

I am so nervous about this actually happening, but I am excited as well. Answers. Maybe, just maybe, we'll learn something through this. She will be undergoing other tests as well. The geneticist and neurologist will be ordering things, including a lumbar puncture, which I am dreading; but I hope when our stay is over we know a little bit more than when we were admitted.


Last week, one year ago. Our very first hospital trip for an episode.