Before anyone gets the wrong idea, James did not have to get admitted, we just had to get another renal scan. This time it was a DTPA to be sure (doubly, tripley I've lost count) that the renal reflux problem was just "one of those things" that happens to some baby boys. The valve has been pointed out to us a number of (countless) times, as has its size and what could possibly occur. Needless to say this was the biggest heath problem that our little 31 week guy faced and truthfully, it has been pretty good up to now. He takes his low dose antibiotics every night and besides the follow-ups that is the extent of it for us.

Well, maybe I am understating that a bit...

As any parent knows, and I can now tell you, there is no such thing as "just a little thing" when it comes to your infant's health. When a bad cold can get you wondering if it is time to call the doctor or not something that you can't see but know is there can be maddening. Really, really maddening. I can't help but wonder if there is anything else that can be done. He doesn't seem to be having any issues because of this. He seems happy but when they can't tell you, "Daddy, it hurts right here," it is hard not to wonder.

So we keep at the tests and hope that one of these months a doctor will finally say, "We have a solution and/or answer." Maybe when these results will come in we will finally hear those words. Maybe not. For now, I will just keep hoping that the days of taking Ceclor are nearing the end. So back to ΙΑΣΩ we went, where it all began.

Yeah, it was going to be one of those mornings. James was being great. He had his morning nap interrupted to take the trolley and metro and bus all the way across Athens and was in a good mood. We got there early so we could get some paperwork caught up and taken care of. Things were going great, until. Until it was time to get fitted with a needle for the radioactive isotopes to be injected. Two broken needles later we had a snuffling unhappy baby on our hands. Tiny veins and a suddenly grumpy kid made the process a bit difficult. But I'll give my son credit, he is a trooper.

Once we he was finally ready we didn't have to wait long. This was probably for the best since James wasn't exactly in the mood for any more nonsense. He had been screaming his lungs out for about a half hour and was exhausted. I mentioned he missed part of his morning nap right? Yeah, great combination there.

So we went in to Radiology and the people there were really great. It was nothing like the last time. I suppose since the method of getting the medications in was considerably different it had something to do with it. Come to think of it though, the last scan seemed to bother me more than him.

Anyhow, this part is a waiting game. They strap the child into a harness and wait for the wailing to subside so the techs hear themselves think again. Lucky for us the kid was too tired to fight with it. Once inside he held his mommy's hand and watched me talk to him and make stupid faces. I even managed to get a smile from him. Okay, a tiny one but it was a smile. Then I went into stealth mode and managed to get a few dozen photos of the whole thing. Using (or maybe abusing) some panorama software I got a really nice view of the process. The photos that make up the image were taken over the half hour of the scan.

James napped for the entire time while I told him a story about a little boy that was very very brave. One eye continued to peek just to be sure he wasn't there by himself. It was just another parent day, with a bit more radiation than usual. I was quite proud about how brave he was. Maybe there is something way back in his brain that knows this place for what it is, the place that got him healthy enough to be able to come home with his mommy and daddy.

Or maybe he was just exhausted. I like the other thought better though...

There was a lot of playing when we got home. James was full of isotopes and ready to party. I couldn't help but have fun with him instead of trying to get him to nap. We played, daddy is a weirdo with the camera for a bit while he flailed about. I kept waiting for him to get super powers but I guess the doctors and nurses did their job right. Just the normal baby super power of, "I can make you do my bidding." I tried to get him to sit still for this but in the end it turned out better with all the extra movement.

It was a long morning. There was much crying and complaining. There was traveling across the city and enjoying the nice temperature of a summer day. There was a little boy that was oh so very brave and there were some parents that didn't loose their cool. I think that there was, a family...

And with that James finally got the nap he so richly deserved.

Have a great night everyone...