Another sleep study?!?!?

No, I'm not kidding.  Apparently the pediatric specialists in my neck of the woods have great access to pediatric sleep centers.....because last night was our second sleep study in seven days.  With two different children.

If you're response is "Whaaaaa?" you are probably not alone.  It boggles my mind, as well.  Many people go through life without ever spending the night in a sleep laboratory.  I, however, and apparently 3/4 of my children, are not those people.

Li'l Angel had a sleep study back when we were working on getting a diagnosis for her metabolic disease. It was a horrible, horrible night, let me tell you.  I'm not going to go into details, but I will say that during the course of the sleep study, I had to prevent the tech from calling a code.  (She wasn't coding.  She was vomiting.  But Li'l Angel had a unique way of vomiting that scared many a veteran nurse, so I really can't blame the tech.)  The sleep study was helpful, but also sad.  Li'l Angel never went into REM sleep.  I don't have enough time right now to explain why.

Justone had his sleep study a week ago.  I blogged about it already.  (Go back and read "Testing...1-2-3...")  It wasn't at all horrible, and his dad got to go along for it.  I still don't have results back on that one.  I was hoping to get a tonsillectomy scheduled before Thanksgiving if he's having apnea.  Doesn't look like that'll happen, now that the ENT's office says they won't have the results for 6-8 weeks.  That is hard to believe, isn't it?  I'm just a little bugged about it because since we reached our out-of-pocket maximum months ago, all procedures are on the house until 2010!!!  (Not really on the house.  Just paid for 100% by our insurance company.)  Now is the time for a tonsillectomy.  I just wish the sleep lab, the ENT, and Justone's tonsils knew that.

Superkid's night at the sleep lab was last night.  She was very excited about it, thanks to Justone's prior, painless experience.  I spent the night with her.  I saw the room where Li'l Angel had her study, but it wasn't ours.  Superkid's metabolic specialist and neurologist were the doctors who felt strongly about having her sleep studied.  I thought they were up in the night.....until I spent half the summer sleeping in a tent next to Superkid.  She is a mighty restless sleeper.  I could tell you some stories.  (And you know how I love stories.)  I don't have time, but let me tantalize you with this one:  Bionic Man woke up (thankfully) to the sound of the tent zipper unzipping as Superkid tried to get out in the middle of the night.   YIKES!

No, really, I didn't think our doctors were up in the night.  Superkid gets migraines, and as anyone who has ever suffered from a migraine can tell you, no little kid deserves those.  So I'm totally up for doing any test they recommend if it means an end to Superkid's migraines.  Or even finding a way to prevent them.

Superkid cooperated very nicely for her sleep study.  She provided the perfect sample by waking up at 5 A.M. this morning with a migraine.  I kid you not.  It was a doozy, too.  In fact, it got us sent home early from the sleep study.  Superkid vomited as soon as we got to the parking garage, and again as we pulled into our driveway.  And again an hour later as we waited in the pediatrician's office for H1N1 vaccines.  Normally, I would not drag her out during a migraine.  But I made an exception for swine flu.  We've had so much trouble getting the injectable vaccine here, I had to make sure she got it the day it arrived.

Anyway, it is past my bedtime, here.  I've got to go.  But I will say that Superkid recovered from her migraine in time for me to have a much needed trip to the hair salon and for our whole family to enjoy the ZOO BOO.  More on that later.

P.S.  Guess what?  Six years ago, at this exact time (10:10 P.M.)  I was trying to convince my pregnant self that I really wasn't in labor.  The Bionic Man arrived home from his night class (he was finishing his MBA) and provided me with a reality check.  (Dang, he always knows I'm in labor before I do.  Told you he has superpowers.)  So.....tomorrow is Superkid's sixth birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We are all excited to celebrate.