This was the text message I received from my friend today (funny Court!). Yes, the cast is away! Carter had his cast taken off this afternoon. Yeah! The doctor then wrote a prescription to get a brace for his leg. He felt like it would be a good transition from the cast to walking, considering Carter’s neuropathy he is experiencing. Matt and Carter came home from getting the cast off and were here 15 minutes before I told them this other doctor could squeeze them in to get fitted for the brace. So, off they went to see the doctor. They came home with a brace that seems more cumbersome than the cast. In fact, instead of running around with a cast, Carter is now sitting on the floor and scooting or crawling to get something. He will probably adjust to the brace. Our hope is he won’t have to wear it very long though. We’ll see what the physical therapist says about it next week.
Finally, this afternoon we spoke to CHOC about the x-ray results. The WRONG x-ray was taken! How does this happen? They said we need to go back tomorrow and get a more precise x-ray. It’s very frustrating. Also, they scheduled us for the bone scan tomorrow. We will have to miss our appointment at UCLA and get blood work done a different day. We have to be at CHOC tomorrow morning at 8am for them to inject Carter with the radio-active dye. Then, a few hours later they can perform the bone scan. During that waiting period, we will take Carter over to a different part of the hospital for a repeat x-ray. Hopefully, we’ll get both of these results tomorrow afternoon.
CHOC is telling us they can’t get us in for the MRI until November 20!! I called them and said this was ridiculous. They can’t tell someone there is something suspicious on a CT-scan and have them wait a month to find out results. Apparently, they can get us in for the MRI, but scheduling the anesthesiologist is the issue. The oncologist called us this evening and said he will make a phone call and get us in earlier and he agreed it was ridiculous. Lesson for the day, become an anesthesiologist! They are in demand!
Wow you guys, what craziness!! I'm happy you are able to do so much in one day today and will hopefully be able to get the MRI done ASAP with the help of a doctor. Hopefully Carter will get used to the brace soon also...he looks very happy in the picture though! What a cutie! Thank you for all the updates and hopefully today will be a smooth running day for you all.
ReplyDeleteShelley H.
Hope that today goes well - good to get the repeat xray (so annoying!) and bone scan in the same day. Now lets hope your doctor can get the MRI asap, too - waiting 4 more weeks is not acceptable! Carter looks great in the pic - the brace must not be bothering him too much - phew?! Thinking of you tons...
ReplyDeleteXOXO,
Shan
What in the world is going on? Once again Carter will master something new...he'll find a way to use that darn brace! As far as the anesthesiologist/MRI is concerned I bet you/Matt would like to "put someone out"...so glad your oncologist got involved...no way you guys wait until mid-Novemeber to get the happy news that Mr. Carter is fine!
ReplyDeleteTons of good wishes and hugs,
Jan and Jack
Good thing you're such an organized person to stay on top of all of these docs. If you weren't Carter's advocated 24-7 who knows what would happen. You hear healthcare horror stories...and too often it, sadly, seems that it was people who just floated through the system, not taking charge, asking questions, keeping their own files, being personally responsible for their care. OK enough rambling...I am a bit loony. Up all night with Tessa at Hopkins for an overnight test (sleep study to look for spinal cord compression). She was a trooper but mommy is tired.....but I am fully aware it is only 1/100th of the exhaustion you must be feeling. Hang in there.
ReplyDeleteITB, Sarah