GI Scan

All this waiting is tiring!

Today's GI scan went much better than I anticipated! After checking in, registering, and putting Addie in her little hospital gown we finally got to the x-ray room. Addie had to fast for three hours before her appointment, and luckily since it was early in the morning she was still sleeping and never woke up hungry. When we got to the room Tim and I suited up in our radiology aprons so we could be next to her during the scan. We stood at the head of the table and the tech stood at the foot in order to hold her still. I was BEYOND relieved that she didn't have to be restrained! We just lightly held her on her side. She cried for about one minute when we put her on the table and they gave me the bottle with barium in it to give her right away and she was instantly calmed once she started drinking the solution. The doctor performed the procedure, which I was extremely grateful for since it enabled  us to get the results right afterward. She drank the solution for about five to ten minutes and I sang to her while she ate. When Tim picked her up from the table she spit up a huge amount of barium. The poor thing was covered in the white, chalky substance. The doctor confirmed what we suspected that she had marked reflux. He explained that there is mild, moderate and severe reflux and that she clearly has severe reflux. He showed us the xray of the barium coming back up from her stomach to her neck. I asked him if he could discuss possible solutions with us and he agreed to do so. I explained that she's been on Zantac and Prevacid and neither are working. He said the GI would either up her dosage of Prevacid or switch her meds to a proton-pump inhibitor like omeprazole (which Wilma is on, funny enough) that blocks the production of stomach acid. The main concern with Addie's reflux is the pain and damage of the the acid she's experiencing. He said we would have to feed her more often, as we already are, and noted that she's not skinny which is a positive sign that she still getting nutrition. He explained that most children reflux cases go away in time, but that she may need surgery down the line if it doesn't resolve itself. Our GI was to receive the results today and once he gets the results from tomorrow's scans they'll call us to make her appointment to begin treatment. Tomorrow's trip to the hospital will last three hours. Addie will get formula and then they'll take an x-ray every ten minutes to see how her stomach empties. Again, we appreciate your prayers that Adeline will be comfortable during this time and we thank you for your prayers that enabled today to go so well!. Below is a video of Addie after we got home, just a smilin' away =). 

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