The Puddles

and we still don’t know the results.

We went last Friday  to TCH and spent the entire day hangin’ out while Ben’s kidneys worked to move the dye that they injected into him through his system and into his kidneys, so that they could take pictures of his kidneys.  It was long and very boring.

Two very cool things happened that day:

1.  I learned what a Gamma camera was.  It is a very large machine that looks somewhat like an open-sided MRI.  It has two large xray looking plates that rotated around Ben while he sat still and watched tv (Harry Potter to be exact).  It was cool.  The tech said that it is mainly used to study the functionality of the body rather than the anatomy of the body (like an xray would).  Glad we got to see one but I’m ready to never see another one.

2. We found a quiet little snack/vending room where we ate lunch, read books, played with ipods, watched movies, worked (that was Chris), and looked at the cranes building the new maternity wing for TCH next door while we waited for Ben’s kidneys to do their job.  I am NOT sharing where this room is in fear that it will be discovered and unavailable the next time we really need a quiet place to hang out while at TCH.  I guess if you go there enough you are liable to find those secret corners where you can get away from the crowds and just “be” while you wait for things to happen to you at TCH.  It was so nice.  The room was so quiet and no one walked in and it was a peaceful place to try and forget the ickiness of being there.

I know that it has taken me awhile to put “pen to paper” and place an update about Ben’s testing.  Going to TCH is a mind numbing experience.  We only went there on Friday for testing, but we were emotionally drained by the time we got home.  Being there at the hospital even for most mundane things is emotionally draining.  I hate seeing Ben there lying down on the machine looking rather casual like this is really no big deal (which I know it isn’t).  I hate the fact that I finally know which garage is the easiest one to park in so that we don’t have to walk across the walkway to get to the other side (which means that I have no excuse to be late). I hate the fact that Ben is uber comfortable navigating our days at TCH (like he knows what he wants for lunch without walking through the lines.  He just tells me his order and I go and pick it up).  I REALLY hate the fact that we have a routine for Ben for when he has to have his blood drawn (we have a system with him that we have worked out.  You have to tell him exactly what you are doing being you even start.  He gets to look at everything first.  Daddy puts him on his lap, holds his arm, and covers his eyes. And above all else . . . you had BETTER tell him what you are doing while you are doing it.).  I hate being there. So does Chris. And so does Ben.

But we do it.  Ben is the biggest trooper of them all.  He loves watching the metro rail trains from the 20th floor and seeing Mom squirm.  He really loves the cranes while they work building the new building.  He and Chris like to get really close to the windows and announce how high up they are while Mom has a heart attack (I having one right now thinking about it.).  He loves getting chicken nuggets from Chick-fila in the cafeteria. And he relishes in the fact he gets an ice cream every time he gets poked (the skin must be broken for this rule. Shots, blood draws, some vaccinations . . . flumist is not included in this rule because the skin is not punctured for this).  It is a Lake family tradition. One that was created when we moved to Texas and our pediatrician located herself near a McDonalds.

We don’t have any results yet.  We may not find out until our next doctor’s visit on January 31st.  If we find something out, we will certainly put in an update.  But no news is good news.

So until then . . .