Dakota's MRI at Primary Children's

Yesterday, Darin and I took our little Dakota up to Primary Children's Medical Center for her latest MRI. This was her first MRI at this hospital; her others were at UVRMC in Provo. The wait was a lot longer, considering all the patients that come through that hospital. We saw so many different children, with all different challenges, waiting for scans, x-rays, or imaging. As we sat there waiting for the nurse to call us back, I realized that each of these little patients has a "story" to tell. Some were Down-sydrome children. Others were onry and sick. One had a cast on her arm. One little guy was being coaxed by his tired mother (who was there alone with four children) to down the "Berium" drink...that yucky pink stuff that has to be ingested before a PET scan. I wondered about each of their stories.

Finally, it was our turn. We were called back with another little family to go into our separate prep rooms. Dakota was in good spirits. (She had actually been looking forward to her visit, even knowing that she was going to get another shot and sedation...crazy kid.) She walked down the hallway looking all around her as we approached our room.

The child services rep came and helped her put an IV in the doll. (This is her fourth "IV Doll") all in prep for her own IV. That time came soon enough. The little one in the next bay over was not happy by this point. She had just been given her IV and she was mad. I explained to Dakota that that little girl was probably only one year old, and had not learned out to be brave yet.

Dakota took it like a champ. She is quite a brave little soul. Once again, she didn't even cry at all during her IV. The nurse said she was one of the best 5 yr. olds they've had in a long, long time. We told her that she's a pro now, having had four IV's in the last 3 1/2 months (five...if you count the missed vein the first time before her CT scan). Soon, they started to give her the sedative. She fought it. Once she started mumbling and acting loopy, we knew it wouldn't be long before she'd go to sleep. Then, they wheeled her off. There was no need for us to stick around the next hour, so we ate at the ever so famous (at least famous to those families who have visited PCMC) "The Rainbow Cafe" for lunch.

Afterwards, we returned to the recovery room to wait for our little lady to come out of her scan. As they brought her out, she was alread waking up, but not for long. It took us some prodding to get her to keep her eyes open. She was still so tired. I had to help her drink and eat her juice and popcicle to the finish. She still wanted to lay back and go to sleep, but I had to keep her upright and awake. They gave her the rest of her sodium chloride (saline) through her IV, checked her vitals, and then discharged her. She slept the whole way home.

We don't know anything yet. The purpose of this scan is to compare this one with her last one to measure growth in the tumor. It is our understanding that the scans will be sent back East to the cancer institute that is doing the clinical study for the Rapamycin drug. We don't know if the geneticists will contact us before, or wait until he has more to tell us. So, for now, we wait. We have done everything we have needed to do, so far...appointment with the ophthalmologist, appointment with the surgeon, appointment with the plastic surgeon, and MRI. Now, we wait.

We appreciate your continues support and prayers on Dakota's behalf. We can only hope at this point that nothing serious happens with this lump, until we know our next plan of "attack". We know that she is in good hands and that God is aware of her. We are especially grateful that so far, she has been able to continue living a "normal" life (outside of the hospital visits and tests). She still has a zest for life and continues to bless us with her humor everyday.