VEEG - London Children's Hospital

So here we are again, all wired up and ready to....wait.  :)

Leah and I arrived at the hospital around 1pm and she immediately went to the EEG department to get all the wires attached.  This time they have used a type of adhesive similar to model airplane glue and an air "gun" to  quick dry it.  As well, they have wrapped her head up in a turban and **fingers crossed** everything will stay attached and sending strong and reliable signals back to the computer!

They have said we should be prepared to be here until Monday at least, so we have already unpacked and settled in.  Leah has brought a variety of movies, books, activity books and her pencil case.  That should get us through to tomorrow, after that I will be relying quite heavily on the Child Life Specialists and the playroom to keep her busy.  This is how the hospital website defines the role of Child Life

A hospital visit can sometimes be a scary and unfamiliar experience for infants, children, youth and families. It is often a source of tremendous stress and anxiety.

The Child Life program strives to meet the psychosocial needs of children and youth while being in the hospital by helping them adjust to and understand hospitalization, medical procedures, illness and injury.

The Child Life program strives to:

• Promote optimum development of children and adolescents
• Maintain normal living patterns
• Help alleviate the stress and anxiety that children and their families may encounter as a result of the hospitalization/medical experience

Child Life Specialists

• Help children and their families understand their reactions and concerns to the hospital experience by providing accurate and honest information.
• Explain medical experiences and what you may see, hear, smell, taste and feel while being in the hospital.
• Create opportunities to explore and cope with “pretend” and/or actual medical equipment. This may increase your comfort level and familiarity with medical care.
• Help families select procedures, tests and exams that are most helpful during your health care experiences.
• Suggest coping techniques for procedures such as distraction, deep breathing and relaxation techniques.
• May be present during medical procedures and provide information about medical events.
• Offer support to family members such as siblings by helping them adjust to the hospital environment and understand health care experiences.
• Provide opportunities to play.
• Offer and adapt activities when you are on bed rest and/or in isolation.
• Coordinate holiday entertainment, special visitor events, and recognize significant events such as holidays and birthdays.
• Design all play and activity areas so they are welcoming, safe and healthy.

What to Expect

The Child Life Specialists will use play, role-playing, teaching puppets and dolls to help make you feel more at ease while being at the hospital.

They will also help you understand complicated medical stuff in a way that is easy for your to understand, and help make the scary times a little easier.

The hospital also offers a really cool e-card service.  London Children's Hospital e-card link  If you have a few spare moments, please send Leah an e-card, she will be tickled pink to get them!  She is currently on B6 room 214B.

Leah's McMaster Stay

I am not sure if it is coincidence or due to Leah's media attention, but tests that were going to take months to arrange are happening this week.  Leah and I have been at McMaster since Sunday night.  She is currently hooked up to a VEEG or a Video ElectroEncephaloGram.  Unfortunately, she has not seen fit to grace us with an episode of any consequence.  Of course the set up is working against her.  She is confined to bed in a climate controlled room.  Her biggest stimulation is when she is beating the pants off me at Snakes and Ladders.  (I should never go to Vegas, the dice and luck are not on my side!)  We are still waiting to hear when she will be getting her Echocardiogram and wearing the Holter Monitor again.

The doctors were hoping to capture at least two episodes on the monitors, they have been able to watch one tiny one - basically she was very cold, dizzy and blurry, but still conscious, speaking and aware.  It was so minor that she didn't even need a nap afterwards.  They took a quick peek at the recorded info but nothing jumped out at them as registering abnormal brain activity or even abnormal heart activity.  It will all be downloaded on a daily basis and then "read" by an expert.  The final report will be available in about 2 weeks - but I am not holding my breath!

On the bright side, they are treating us very well, the food is good, the nurses and support staff are fabulous.  Since she can't leave her bed the Child Life staff have been coming by to see her a couple of times a day to ensure she has enough to keep her busy. Hospital volunteers will even come and sit with her for awhile. Thanks to them I got to have shower and throw a couple of things in the washer without feeling like a bad mother for leaving her alone.

Did you know that Ronald McDonald House via the RMHC Family Room also provides basic toiletries and laundry facilities for parents staying with their kids!?!?!  How awesome is that?  Need a shower but forgot to pack things like shampoo, conditioner and soap - never fear, the volunteer staff simply pull out a big container of hotel/sample bottles!  Running out of clean underwear and need to wash a couple of things, no worries, throw them in the washer!



So if you are out shopping and happen to run across a fabulous deal, keep the Ronald McDonald House and Family Room in mind.  They have a Wish List that they keep up to date.

And did you know that Julia's Run for the Cure will be taking place on Merritt Island on July 29th?

Join us at Merritt Island in Welland, Ont. on July 29, 2012 to run or walk 5km in memory of Julia D’Innocenzo. Julia suffered from Leukemia, and on September 12, 2009, after several drug treatments and a brave 11-month battle, the “Froggy Princess”  left us for a better place. The goal of Julia’s Journey is to celebrate the life of a hero, as well as to support the charities that were helpful to Julia and her family during her illness.

Ronald McDonald house has been such a blessing for her family, ours and so many others!