HIDA scan

This morning I took Liam for his appointment at Children's Hospital. This was for a HIDA scan. A HIDA scan checks the functioning of the Gallbladder and can also show if bile ducts are blocked from the Liver as well as bile flow through the body. We know that Liam has a 9 mm Gallstone, which for his age is odd in the first place. We got to the hospital around 7:30 in the morning, we where taking back just after 8:00.... then he needed the IV placed for the test. Yikes! Liam is a very hard stick, today proved that... over 45 minutes of trying to find and not blow out a vein and 4...YES 4 attempts later it was in (sigh) I think the head nurse there say it best "Thank you Lord" as the hard part was finally over. Liam laid on a table, now pretty exhausted from all that ruckus over placing his IV line, and watched Little Einsteins. I had thought in advance and brought a show I knew was fool proof for us. The first medicine placed is a radioactive isotope. I watched it fill his liver and eventually trickle to and fill his gallbladder. A good sign meaning that his bile ducts are open, which was one concern. Then a second medication is injected through his IV line, this one is called CCK, it is a hormone which causes the Gallbladder to contract as it would during a really fatty meal. Then we waited, and waited. Most of the isotope went through his liver and out into his intestines, but the isotope in his gallbladder did not move. After 45 minutes of the "up to an hour" (mind you it was 11:15 by now) the nurse said we're done, if it ain't moving for the first 45 minutes there is very little to say about 15 more. So, in my completely untrained medical eyes, Liam's gallbladder appears to have next to no function.... we will wait to see what the doctor says on Wednesday but I'm pretty well prepared for a talk about surgery, especially if it is just collecting "junk" or "bile" and it never leaving, that in itself will lead to stones forming over and over. Although I was originally anti-surgery, the more I have read the more I am comfortable with the idea should that be the doctors thoughts,.... why? Because a diseased gallbladder can lead to cancers not only in the gallbladder but the pancreas which is right next door. Thankfully, Liam was a super star for the laying portion, poor baby just does not have very many visible veins, the nurses found the one that finally stuck by using a flashlight under his hand! They said hardest stick they have had to do all year (YEY, we are first place in something right? j/k).   And now we continue with our summer break, here is to the hope of a restful Tuesday!