Never a Dull Trip

Today B and I embarked on an adventure.  Ok so it started out as just a trip to Lincoln, NE for her six month brace check.  Sounds simple right?  How quick you forget NOTHING is simple when Missy B is involved.

We started out bright and early this morning.  I wanted to be on the road by 5:30 (we had an 8:30 appointment) but when you have to pack, check the vehicle, wake a girl, dress a girl, shower and get yourself ready, and not necessarily in that order, things don't always go the way you hoped.  So our adventure started at 6:15 instead.  Yes this meant I was going to be late already.  Not a huge deal, but a deal none the less.  After we counted kittens to make sure we didn't have any hitch hikers we were on our way.

Drove until we reached Columbus and then decided a stretch break/bathroom break was necessary.  I bought myself some Clarkson Bakery Kolaches and something for both of us to drink.  There was a sippy cup with a straw in the van so I put some pop in it for B.  (Let me note:  I DO know that this can be a disaster but so can a whole bottle of pop being turned upside down while a girl giggles.  Yep been there done both.)  Off we were again. 

After about 15 minutes or so of driving I hear giggles from the back seat.  I look in the rear view mirror and I see Mt. Diet Coke raising up from between the seats. "I ain't got time for this!"  I thank God that it is DIET coke and won't leave a huge sticky mess everywhere and just keep driving, just keep driving.

Diet Coke Splatter on the area where the DVD player is.

Another photo of the Diet Coke lava.

We continue on to Lincoln pretty much incident free.  (I'm sure something probably happened but my brain blocked it out to protect itself.)

We could not find parking on the first level of the parking garage and I had to go up to 2nd floor.  Now I really don't like parking garages (too much freedom and fresh air growing up I guess) and really hate when I have to go up levels.  The drive down isn't much more enjoyable either.  But this was different than what we usually do.

We go to get on the elevator and a little lady is now questioning where we are and what we may be doing here.  It really hit her when we got off at the main level and began walking into the hospital.  She has NEVER refused to walk into this building before and I had to put on the Autism Mom detective hat and think why now?  I finally concluded that every hospital has the same smell (basically) and she must be scared there is going to be a repeat of the "break fluid" incident which meant she was poked every 4 hours.  She is now throwing herself on the floor, screaming and crawling slowly toward me.  I knew if I tried to pull her it would make it worse so I was slowly walking down the hall and she was coming closer as she doesn't want to loose mom here.  

God sent us an angle at this point in the form of Wendy one of the Ortho people we work with on B's brace.  She went over to B, who looked up and smiled at her, and talked to B.  She was able to get B up off the floor and walk down the hall holding both of our hands.  This was such a lifesaver.  We both assured her there would be no pokes on this visit.  Wendy needed to go help another patient and left us promising B a huge hug if she was good the rest of the visit.  (She did follow through!)

We then went and checked in for our visit.  B was cooperative by this point because she new this place and this routine.  Then it was time for x-ray and we fell to pieces again.

First they had to take us to a different area in the hospital for x-ray than B was use to.  (Let's face it we do this every 6 months so she knows how this works.  In fact it seems like we get a new Shriner to escort us every  time, and when I say new I don't just mean to us I mean they have never done this before so we lead him.)

Now we are waiting in a tiny waiting room with 3 other patients, their Shriner and their parent or parents.  B was very uncomfortable.  We get called back for the x-rays and I'm thinking this is getting better now.

Oops spoke too soon.  She did not want to cooperate.  She stepped up on the stand like this was going to be ok and then turned into a HUGE rag doll.  After struggling to get her to stand again they decide I need a lead vest.  I'm thinking, "I don't care let's just get this done!!!"  They gown me up and another helper, go to take the x-ray and THE MACHINE DOESN'T WORK!!!!!  Ok reset the machine, let's try it again.  NOPE!!!!  After 4 reposing/resetting/mom ready to scream-at-the-top-of-her-lungs attempts for an x-ray they ask us to step outside and wait in the hall while they try to figure it out.

Thank goodness for ipads and Jessie to get through all this.

So we are now sitting in the hall way for about 5 to 10 minutes.  No one is going in or out of the room, I can hear them talking in there, and other patients are in and out of the other x-ray rooms nearby.  B is now starting to scream, which really echoes in hospital hallways BTW, and I'm about reduced to a puddle of tears.  Finally someone comes and says they have the machines ready and running in the area we usually go to they are going to take us over there.  REALLY!!!!!  Gather all our stuff (almost forgot B's shoes) and off to where we usually go.
There we are pretty much taken right back and the x-ray is done in one shot!  (She knows what to do here.)
Now we wait in the lobby with all the others to see the Doctor.  This was only about 10 minutes or so.  I really don't know as she decided it was time for a pants change and that seems to take forever anyway.  LOL

Clown in training.

I wish she would have turned around, she was really cute, but B wanted nothing to do with her.

We now are taken to a room to wait for the doctor.  They tell me it's Dr. Guidera and I'm thinking yeah right.  Dr. Guidera is the very first Doctor we dealt with in Minneapolis.  He is the doctor that looked us in the eyes, oh so long ago, and told us we would be running after her in the halls someday.  He holds a very special place in our hearts.  But we were told he moved to Florida.  Ends up he was there, I asked another person about it and they told me he likes to meet them, when he can, at out reach clinics.  It was WONDERFUL to see him again.

This was the stool in the room we waited to see the doctor in.  All I could think of was Twilight.

Once again the iPad was a lifesaver!!!

I tried to find the last x-ray so you could see the difference, but no luck.

The doctor did give us some good news (the one bright spot in the day).  Making sure her brace is tight made all the difference.  Last time the doctor (a different one) was starting to talk surgery as the curves were measuring over 30 degrees each in the brace.  This time we were at 17 degrees and 20 degrees much better and no more talk of surgery!!!!  THANK YOU GOD!!!!!
We also saw Wendy and Tim who thought the brace looked good, gave us a few more pointers on wearing it and taking care of it.  Also took her insert from one shoe so they could build it up as it was wearing out already.
We LOVE our Shriners.

She wore herself out!  (BTW this is very unusual.  She hardly ever sleeps in a vehicle or during the day even.)

On the way home I decided to take a break in David City and visit the cemetery where my grandparents and uncle are buried.  I did not realize that Grandpa passed away so close to my Birthday.  I really need to make note of these dates better.  

I also stopped at my cousin's house (Deb Dinkelman).  My other cousin Dan's daughter was home visiting after being in Germany in the service for a number of years.  I was able to meet her husband Kenny and see their daughter Bailey again.  Her life is so blessed and I was honored to spend some time with all of them.  

Breanna did not want to get out of the van at her house (a different place than she was use to again).  It wasn't too cold or hot and I kept looking out the window checking on her.  When I got in the van I could smell something (perfume) and could not place the smell.  I knew it was something I had smelled before, but could not place it.  But we were on our way and I just wanted to get home at this point.

Just after we went through Columbus B hands me a diaper.  She wanted to be changed.  I told her we would stop in the next town.  So in Humphrey I stopped to change her pants.  There I discovered the source of the odor.  She had found (who knows where) a very small, thank goodness, bottle of Polo.  Let me tell you it smells WAY better on the men in my house than on my van.  Also, due to a "recall" on the switch to the vent windows of the van they are disabled and I couldn't open a window to air it out a bit.  I'm just glad it wasn't a bigger bottle or a bottle of something that I couldn't stand.  

As I said this may not be all that happened, but my brain may have blocked out some things to protect my sanity.  It just seems that when it rains it pours or in my case floods.

When we leave the Shriners they always have us do an exit survey.  I told them I would pass this time.  They were a bit concerned, but I assured them that all the things I had issues with were things they didn't have any control over.  (Mostly the x-ray equipment) I didn't want my issues to be reflected as anything they did or didn't do. All I can do is pray next time will be better.