"What's an Icky G?"

On Friday we had Braden's annual cardiologist exam. We feel really grateful that we only need to see the doctor once a year, but at the same time, enough time passes between appointments that Braden gets anxious and doesn't remember what happens there. Last year I remembered to take a photograph of him getting an EKG and that seemed to help, so I brought the camera again and hoped to capture everything about the trip and help ease his mind next time. And of course, I thought I would share it with you all since hopefully, not many of you have seen the in's and out's of a pediatric cardiologist office! Although, thinking about it I can name 4 heart kids just off my blog list! Crazy!

First getting weighted and measured, which he thought was a little scary...

Taking his blood pressure

The nurse tells him it will 'hug' his arm

Then from the BP check to the ECHO exam room. Waiting for the Echo Tech to get set up. Once we had convinced him the three 'stickers' would not hurt and that sitting up was not an option, he convinced Daddy to lay by him so everything would be good.
Echo is all done. The room is darkened while the test is preformed, so it can be a little scary, usually they let the kids watch a movie, but their TV wasn't working, so Braden laid there, still and quiet for almost an hour! Great Job!

"Mom, what's an Icky G?" Of everything he has been through- the EKG test is the scariest thing for him. He hates the stickers (either 12 or 14) they have to put all over his chest, arms and legs because they are super goopy sticky and hurt a tiny bit when they are removed. He also hates the leads (the wires) they attach to the stickers because they pull a little. He is such a trooper and as long as big tough Dad is in the room he can handle it. This test is also a hard one to get done when they are upset because you have to sit so still to get good reading. The best part for Braden is when the computer starts spitting out the sheets of paper with the cardiac rhythm (think the thing they pull off and read ON ER and Grey's) He thinks it is pretty cool you can 'see' how his heart beats.

After the EKG is done we just have an exam by the doctor, who by this time has read the ECHO, and EKG. He usually listens to his heart for a few minutes, and checks his pulses in his arms and feet. And then we hear the words we wait for, "He looks incredible! See you in a year!" Honestly, we love our cardiologist because he has NO poker face, if something is wrong you know it before he speaks. So after Braden's surgeries, the doc always thought that we would have to have some sort of follow up procedure by now, and it is so nice to see how pleased with Braden's progress the doctor is. Braden is pretty smart about what happened with his heart even though he was small. He looks through his scrapbooks from then and knows which one of the zillion doctors he saw before he was 1 is and what they did for him. He knows the hospitals he was at, and we have really tried not to dummy it up by using fake words, so when he hears us taking he knows what's going on. So I laughed out loud when after the echo the nurse brought the EKG machine in and he asked us again, "What's an Icky G?" Silly kid! Finally, this is a tiny clip of what the screen shows during the ECHO. They are actually cool to watch, just don't ask me what anything is. The key board the techs use is unreal, with so many buttons, keys, UGH! I don't know how they do it with out looking! Thea red and bright blue you'll see is the color they put in for the blood flow. Hope you enjoyed our trip to the Pediatric Cardiologist! We are so blessed that Braden is so healthy!

Oh, and it is now mid way through Saturday and I think the last EKG sticker is FINALLY off!