CT Scan

Claire had her CT scan today. I was worried there would be a glitch with the insurance approval since we are still dealing with pre-existing condition requirements when she and I switched to Kyle's insurance after I lost my job. Luckily everything was approved when we got there. We wrote a check that took care of our whole deductible (yay?) and we were off.

The lady who performed the scan was telling us about how she would be strapped down, and she might cry, but it would be quick, etc etc. She went on and on about it as though we were going to freak out. Sure, I hate to see her cry but I knew it would be quick and I'm thinking big picture here. Seriously, she would not stop going on about it so finally I just said, "Yeah, this is the least of our concerns right now." She was very nice and I wasn't rude but really I just had to have her stop talking about it.

And scream she did, as I anticipated. She wanted no part of being made into a burrito and strapped down. But it was quick and then she calmed down right away. We got a disc of the scan and were on our way. When we got home Claire slept for three hours. I guess it was a bit of an ordeal for her.

I was really disappointed because other kids' CT scans I have seen are one lovely 3D image that clearly shows the sutures. Our scan was a series of single images of all different planes of her head. Looking at any one image doesn't mean anything to me so I guess I'll have to leave that to the experts. I planned to post it on here so I was bummed.

So the next step is that we wait for the images and report to be sent to our surgeon and then I assume they will contact us for a follow-up appointment. I absolutely hate waiting and the powerlessness associated with it.

I am also sending the images with a letter and some photos of Claire to a surgeon in Dallas, Texas. This doctor is pretty much the world's expert on craniosynostosis. He gives free consults by phone or email and will tell you what he would do whether you are going to choose him for the surgery or not. Pretty cool.

I am very interested in his opinion, but if Claire needs surgery I am also extremely interested in having him be the one to do it. There are tons of reasons why, which I will have to explain in another post. Suffice it to say that every fiber of my being (call it mother's intuition) is telling me to do everything in my power to make it happen. Unfortunately, it will be a fight to make it happen. There will be insurance and financial issues standing in the way but I am determined. There would surely be an insurance appeal to get his services covered. If she needs surgery, I at least have to try. So I'll be off to FedEx tomorrow morning to send him our scan results. And then more waiting to hear from him. Did I mention I hate waiting?