Chest CT

Maggie had to have a chest CT done today. This is part of the ongoing outpatient stuff we are donig to avoid a lengthy hospitalization. So far so good. This morning Maggie had to be sedated for this test, but even with all of that we were in and out in about an hour. That's a new record. We are back at home. If I knew it was going to go this smoothly I would have sent her to school afterward. Instead she's hanging out with me telling me jokes on her talker.

I still get nervous during these tests. I can't help it. We have had far too many surprises - and very few of them good - after they take a closer look. It will be interesting to see what this test shows. We are trying to get to the cause of her repeated infections. She coughs up blood all the time unless she's on antibiotics. It could be irritation that easily gets infected, but with Maggie we just never know what they are going to find. In fact the radiologist will be in for a bit of a surprise. Maggie's anatomy is all screwed up.

When she was born, her esophagus and trachea were connected, which is not supposed to be. That was fixed surgically but there is a lot of scar tissue from that surgery as well as from the tracheostomy. In addition she doesn't really have a functioning right lung. I only learned that about two years ago - a year after the trach was placed. According to the pulmonologist, the lung formed but none of the tissue within it formed. Instead of a functioning lung it's just an empty pouch; further there is no bronchial opening to that right lower area. That answered the riddle why her frequent pneumonias were always on the left side. Wasn't an answer I wanted, but that's what I got.

Whatever they tell me will not surprise me. For all I know all the lost socks in the house could be down there. I'll just put on all some protective gear when the doctor calls with the report in the next few days.

Next stop: hematology. But not for a few weeks.

I'm worn out and it's only noon. I think I'll steal a nap when the nurse arrives