Abridged Anatomy of a Vent Clinic Day

Yesterday was that time again...Vent Clinic day! For those of you new around here, every once in a while we go to Our Children's House at Baylor for Vent Clinic, where we see Dakin's Team of Awesomeness. Said Team includes his two amazing pulmonogists--Dr. G and Dr. C, though we only see one of them each visit--his nutritionist, the RT who checks his vent, the tech who weighs and measures him, his nurse practitioner (who is an angel on earth) and his outpatient case manager (who is a lioness: when she roars, things get done). He also sees the vampire lady who draws his blood gases and the X-ray lady who takes pics of his lungs, but he doesn't like them, so they are not in the Team of Awesomeness.


Anyhoo, I thought you all might like to see a small glimpse of a Vent Clinic Day, as it is quite the undertaking around here. As I said, this is the abridged version, as I forgot to take pics for most of it, and the whole process lasts for 8-10 hours anyway. So here you go:


6 am: Up, breathing treatment done, attempted to feed him but he outright refused to eat.

7:10 am: Take Dada to work so we have the car.

8:00 am: On the road. (This little DVD player was the best freaking 100.00 I ever spent)

9 am: still on the road.

10 am: still on the road.

10:15: arrive at Medical City Dallas (this is not a usual Vent Clinic Day feature--he was just getting a last, and unexpected, RSV shot).

10:30: back on the road to Baylor.

11:00 arrive at Baylor, sign in.

11:15: crying because he doesn't want to get weighed or measured.

11:30: feeling better.

11:30-12:30: attempt to feed him, he eats a little but wants to play with my spoon instead.

12:30-1:15: RT comes and checks vent, flirts with Dakin.

nurse comes in, asks questions, flirts with Dakin and gets him a sticker.

nutritionist comes in, asks questions, flirts with Dakin.

x-Ray lady comes in with helper, attempts to flirt with Dakin but he's too mad from getting x-ray done.

vampire lady comes in to take blood gases. Mommy sings to help Dakin calm down, but it doesn't really work too well, and he gets a bandaid on his thumb.

1:30: things have slowed down, so we are thinking he'll take a nap. Nope. Also, x-ray lady leaves x-ray machine in hall in front of our room, Dakin gets upset and she pulls the curtain so he can't see it.
1:45: outpatient case lioness comes in, flirts with Dakin. He loves her. Talks to us, makes sure we're ok and there are no unresolved issues she needs to attend to.

2:00: wait to see pulmonologist and co. to make rounds. Maybe nap now?

2:15: still waiting. Dakin decides to stare out the window for a while. Another failed feeding attempt. (He refuses to eat while we're out...oh well)

2:30: still waiting.

2:45: still waiting.

3:00: still waiting, still no nap.
3:15: Dr. C and group comes in. Upon checking Dakin out, Dakin is declared 'excellent', the same term goes to his chest x-ray and blood gases. His weight gain is good, and he just in general looks great. Yippee! Mommy glowing from praise.

3:30: Dakin in car, chair deconstructed and placed in trunk of car, and everyone on the road again. Mommy and Nurse placing bets as to when the boy will fall asleep. Mommy says 5 minutes, Nurse says 15.

3:45: Mommy and nurse decide to get slushies to celebrate good report. Dakin still awake.

4:25: still on road. Dakin FINALLY falls asleep.

5:10: still on road. Dakin wakes up, wants to watch Rocket. Wish granted.

6:00: arrive home. Yay!

So that was our day. And a good one. It is definitely worth the 5 hour round trip driving to hear them gush about how well he is doing...aaaah.