Gastric Emptying Study

Jeremiah with El Toro Loco

So I will explain the picture for this post soon, but first...

The scan. He was such a trooper! So we were called back into radiology at 9:30. After finding out his weight, they mixed up a batch of yummy radioisotopes...mmmm! It took them almost 40 minutes to prepare this stuff. They are basically little glow particles that can be seen under imaging (GI x-rays). They mixed these little guys in with a bowl of plain oatmeal, which Jerry normally will not touch. But considering he hadn't been allowed to eat since yesterday, he had no problem gulping it down in the allotted ten minutes. After that, no food or drink for 3 hours.

The first hour had to be spent on the x-ray table with his face six inches from a platform. He could not move and had to remain on his back with his arms at his side. Being the awesome mom I am (not), I forgot his ipad to distract him. So I held my rapidly dying phone next to his head and played Monster Jam videos for an hour. Served me right. He did amazingly well. Started to cry a few times, but some leg rubs helped keep the tears at bay. Try rubbing someone's leg and holding a cell phone for video viewing at the same time! That's talent people.

After that first hour, we spent the next hour sitting in the waiting room. I changed the TV in there to Disney, despite how other people there may have felt about that channel. I figured they wouldn't mind anyway once Jerry had a full-on meltdown in the middle of the floor from boredom and hunger. He never did thankfully.

After an hour in the waiting room, he had another x-ray lasting only one minute this time. Another hour in the waiting room and then one final x-ray. 

This test was to see how quickly or slowly his stomach empties of food and whether or not an issue there could be causing his lack of appetite and upset stomach.

We did go to the GI again yesterday. Jerry gained 1 pound since last week and so the decision was made not to re-insert a feeding tube or re-hospitalize him. They did do a culture of his stools and stomach x-ray while we were there and will call with those results soon. The tummy scan results from today's test should be back by next week. Depending on all of those results, we'll know if a colonoscopy is in his future. Praying not, but also want answers no matter what they have to do.

So now onto the monster truck picture. If Jerry had to be hospitalized again, he would have missed Monster Jam this Saturday, only the second one he has missed in 10 years. And we have had our tickets for two months now. He has so been looking forward to it, carrying around a list of the trucks that will be there.

On the way home from the hospital today, as is the custom the week before the show, Stepps Towing hosted a truck and driver to take pictures with and sign autographs. It was a perfect homecoming from the hospital for him. Here he is with the crew chief of El Toro Loco. That's the guy that fixes the truck after the driver breaks it. Pretty cool job if you ask me.

God's grace, all God's grace.