First Appts

We made it through our first 3 appointments today! We are emotionally drained but pleased with how it all turned out. We started in GI, and the crying started there despite the HUGE amounts of effort put into preparing our girl. She gets herself so worked up just to be there. After the GI appointment, we went to meet with the pre-op nurse to find out what to do prior to Ava's endoscopy. The pre-op nurse was fabulous, and helped us get in touch (immediately) with a Child Life Specialist, Carly. The Child Life Specialists do play therapy to help kids through multiple appointments and hospitalizations. I WELCOME them to "Team Neudeck!" They do a lot of role play which we already do until we are blue in the face at our house. It's Ava's M.O. Ava will have appointments just with the Child Life Specialist one on one several times in the next few weeks as well. She happily told Carly that she would see her for the appointment and wanted her to have play dough and paints. Carly said she would happily oblige. I will take her there and collapse in the lobby for an hour (my break from role play!). We scheduled the endoscopy and moved on to the renal ultrasound. Sigh. Our girl did not want to do that renal ultrasound. She was in "fight or flight" mode and just so scared. I finally was able to hold her on my lap while they did the ultrasound and her heart was beating so rapidly, I thought it might beat out of her chest :(... so sad. The poor staff had to listen to my singing various songs the whole time, but it calmed her. Afterward, she was SO proud that she did it. She was able to talk about it and process it and said it felt "soft." She was VERY happy after that and was her perky talkative sing-song self charming those around her. She earned a ride on the Tram and was pleased to stop in at my work as she wanted to say Hi to "Mommy's friends." She is open and willing to go back and knows she will have an ECHO Cardiogram which is similar to the renal ultrasound. She came home with a load of stickers and a complete doctor kit with masks, stethoscope, gloves, surgical cap and doll with a gown. Aiden was an awesome big brother and played doctor when he got home, too. :) We now have a few days off and will then head back for more! We are hopeful it will be less scary for her now that she has been there and knows it's okay. Stay tuned...

Ava's map of today's appointments (with mommy's lack of drawing skills...where's Uncle Erik when you need his artistic talent???)

Pleased as punch to have "Dr. Aiden" listening to her heart

Dr. Aiden and his patient, Ava. No tears here!