Changing seasons

Fall is here in Texas.  The temps dipped into the 50's this weekend and it was time to break out the pants that I searched high and low for (right material, no zippers or snaps, and long enough but small enough in waist).  The change of the seasons is always a difficult transition for Hunter.  He doesn't like going from shorts to pants and vice versa.  I finally got a long-sleeved shirt on him for the soccer game and he ended up rolling up the sleeves and pants to have that "summer feeling."

Eating homemade GF pumpkin muffins

Burr!  Cold days in TX

The only set of pants/long sleeves that would stay on this boy was his new Halloween costume.  He was determined to be Buzz this year...so here's the sneak preview.

Just this past Friday, we had almost ninety degree temperatures and Hunter running around in his swim clothes prior to his lesson.

No wonder why he is so resistant to the transition when it is so unpredictable!  (see how sweetly he is playing with Peyton in these pictures?!?)

Here's a cute little video from his swim lesson...

Speaking of anticipating changes..the Children's scheduling department called today and Hunter is set for an MRI Friday at 7:30.  Check-in is 6:30, and he can't eat or drink anything after midnight.  For the kiddo who wakes up to say, "Can I have some breakfast?" this will be a challenge.  I had a pit in my stomach after hanging up the phone and decided I needed to research a little more about the actual procedure to feel comfortable.  Here is what I found from one site...



Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a diagnostic imaging procedure that uses radio waves, a magnetic field, and a computer to generate images of the anatomy.

Purpose

MRI is used to visualize the body to assist doctors in their efforts to diagnose certain diseases or conditions and to evaluate injuries. For pediatric imaging, MRI is used for a variety of purposes, including the following:

MRI provides images with excellent contrast that allow clinicians to clearly see details of soft tissue, bone, joints, and ligaments. MRI angiography is an imaging technique used to evaluate the blood vessels, for example, to detect aneurysms or cardiovascular problems. Because MRI does not use ionizing radiation to produce images, like x ray and CT, it is often the examination of choice for pediatric imaging and for imaging the male and female reproductive systems, pelvis and hips, and urinary tract and bladder.

MRI can also be used to evaluate brain function for assessing language, senses, neurologic disorders, and pain . This technique, called functional MRI, involves rapid imaging to display changes in the brain's blood flow in response to tasks or visual and auditory stimuli. Functional MRI is being researched to image neurologic disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), delayed cognitive development , and epilepsy.

MRI spectroscopy is another emerging imaging technique for evaluating pediatric brain disorders. In MRI spectroscopy, chemicals in the brain are measured and brain tissue is imaged. This technique is being investigated to evaluate traumatic brain injury, speech delay, creatine deficiency syndromes, and mood disorders in young children.

 http://www.healthofchildren.com/M/Magnetic-Resonance-Imaging.html#ixzz28k3vKIIj

Not sure which procedure the neurologist has recommended, but I do know that he will have to be sedated and it makes me nervous.  I asked more about the type of anesthesia, but the scheduler informed me that the anesthesiologist would consult with me that morning about the actual method he will be using. 

I know this is what I have wanted...To look at concrete images of his brain...To see if there are any notable changes in his brain...To see if there is inflammation that causes the neurological symptoms.  As Hunter fears the change of the seasons and the factors that go along with it, I fear the changes that may be evident and the decisions that will have to go along with it.  But at the same time, I also fear the fact that there may not be any changes recorded in the images...

and then I am left with only theories.