Elijah is such a big boy now that he was able to walk to the MRI room.
We looked at a truck book while the sedative took effect, and he was in the recovery room 45 minutes later. He didn't actually cry but he got a quivery lip when I came back in. While he's sedated, they monitor his heart rate, breathing rate, body temperature, and oxygen saturation level which is why he's covered with wires. We saw some familiar nurses in radiology (including one who was on Boston Med!) and in the recovery room. The recovery room nurse remembered Elijah and said, "He's a boy now!" He really isn't our baby anymore!
Elijah snoozed for a bit longer after that, but he finally opened his eyes when the nurse offered him a popsicle. He was still pretty drowsy, so it took a lot of effort to get that popsicle to his lips!
Once he was more fully awake, Elijah chose a pinwheel (or a "windmill"-as he kept calling it) from the treasure box, and he practiced blowing it to make it spin.
After his MRI, we headed over to the Jimmy Fund Clinic at Dana Farber Cancer Institute for the brain tumor Outcomes Clinic. We met with a new neuro-oncologist and neurologist now that he has graduated to the long-term follow-up care clinic. We were bummed that we didn't get to see the doctors that we know, but now that he only goes once a year it doesn't really matter. We're just glad that it's been three years since his surgery and he's doing so well!!! We got great news that the tumor still hasn't returned and everything in his brain has remained stable!Elijah also enjoyed some new Dora and Diego stickers from the neuro-oncologist. I still find it strange that we meet with a neuro-oncologist even though Elijah's tumor wasn't malignant. Apparently, since he had an abnormal growth in his brain, neuro-oncologists are the doctors who treat those patients in conjunction with the regular neurologists. 
Here's a happier and more alert boy. The worst part of the day was when the nurse was trying to take Elijah's vital signs for the clinic. You would have thought that getting your oxygen saturation levels and blood pressure checked was pure torture with the way he was screaming. Unfortunately, the nurse didn't have a lot of patience, but I know that Elijah was tired and hungry since he hadn't eaten since the night before.
We're all done with the clinic!
Elijah led the way back to Children's Hospital. He's still wearing the hospital pants because his shorts got soaked in the car and I didn't think to bring a change of clothes (silly Mama)! Elijah called them his pajamas.
We stopped at the ball drop before we headed home.
Elijah won't have to have an MRI for another year. Yippee!! We are so thankful that he's healthy and doing well! Aside from the scar on his head, you'd never know that he had a brain tumor!
Here's a happier and more alert boy. The worst part of the day was when the nurse was trying to take Elijah's vital signs for the clinic. You would have thought that getting your oxygen saturation levels and blood pressure checked was pure torture with the way he was screaming. Unfortunately, the nurse didn't have a lot of patience, but I know that Elijah was tired and hungry since he hadn't eaten since the night before.
We're all done with the clinic!
Elijah led the way back to Children's Hospital. He's still wearing the hospital pants because his shorts got soaked in the car and I didn't think to bring a change of clothes (silly Mama)! Elijah called them his pajamas.
We stopped at the ball drop before we headed home.
Elijah won't have to have an MRI for another year. Yippee!! We are so thankful that he's healthy and doing well! Aside from the scar on his head, you'd never know that he had a brain tumor!
