Question about preparing for sedation

I have a silly question but I thought that this would be the best place to get advice. My little girl has to have a cyst removed (well the plastic surgeon thinks it could be a cyst) and before they'll do the surgery they need to do a CT scan to make sure it hasn't attached to her brain

Anyway, they scheduled the scan for 2pm tomorrow which means that she can't eat any solid foods all day (since she needs to be sedated). We can give her fluids and jello but no solid foods. The way we typically feed the kids is that we put them both in their seats at the table and then we give them each 1/2 of whatever the meal is. Our kids like to take care of each other and they give each other food. Even if we keep Amanda away from the table, Aidan will wonder where she is and find her. How do we feed Aidan without upsetting them? They don't understand that Amanda can't eat and it'll be a stressful enough morning.

Has anyone experienced this?? I'd appreciate any advise to keep them happy without too much stress.

 

Lisa, I think it's criminal for the doctors to not have a.m. appts. for the toddlers I don't have a clue what you should do. I might try to give them both water and jello and then while she's in the scan give him some cheese and crackers while you wait or something. We would have a nightmare around here too. Mine are the same way, they have to know where the other one is at all times and they feed each other etc.!!

I am sorry you have to go through this!

 

I agree with Diane. Put them both on the restriction and bring food along. You'll want something to give her afterward anyway.

I presume it's a 6-hour restriction meaning she'll get breakfast and it's lunch that's the issue?

 

Thanks for the ideas. It is actually an 8-hour restriction so we gave her a big dinner and thats going to be it. I contemplated getting her up at 5 when I leave for work but I decided that it wasn't the best idea (I'd rather have her well rested but hungry). I made a bunch of jello and we have pedialyte pops as well as gatorade and apple juice so that we can keep her full with liquids. She has to stop all intake whatsoever 2 hours before the procedure so it'll be a rough time anyway.

Aidan has had horrible diarhea this week so we've been pushing the liquids so it won't be hard to get him to eat the jello but he hasn't eaten well so I'd really like to get some food into him. Maybe we'll distract Amanda long enough to give Aidan a bit of food.

I'm just hoping that being hungry won't make her so cranky that we have extra trouble at the hospital.

Wish us luck and any more advice is welcome!!

 

Gosh Lisa, I hope it goes well!!! Please update us and let us know how it all goes!!! (Sounds like you could use a girls night out!! )

 

Oh boy could I ever use a night out!! I'm nervous but I'm going to be as brave as I can so that she is a brave little girl! Hopefully the lump (which is right between her eye and eyebrow) is nothing more than just a cyst. This way it will be a relatively simple plastic surgery and she won't even remember it. They want it removed so that it won't move or affect her vision.

It's so amazing how close twins are. Tonight they were playing together and Amanda found a pacifier and immediately ran over to Aidan and popped it in his mouth. He went searching around and found one for her and they giggled and ran away from mommy (I tend to be the paci police and take them away unless it is bedtime). I love these kids so much it really is the most wonderful feeling in the entire world!!

Thanks Di!!! We need to get together again soon!

 

Oh Lisa! I had no idea you had this on your plate! My nephew had a cyst removed right below his eyebrow when he was 2 and it was just fine - easy procedure and no scarring.

Let me know if you need anything! I agree, we need to get out again SOON!

 

One of my boys had to go in for a scan a few weeks ago. My husband took the morning off from work and took his brother for an outing. My son was hungry, but it really helped that he wasn't seeing his brother eat in front of him.

 

I'm at work now. I woke up Amanda at 5 this morning to make her breakfast. I couldn't get used to the fact that we would "starve" her for so many hours (it would have been 18 hours since dinner). She didn't understand why I was waking her up when it was still dark out but she went along with it. Aidan also woke up so I just made them both a big breakfast and we watched some Bob the Builder before I left for work. It was nice to have breakfast with the kids on a weekday. I am typically out of the house before 6 and they're never up that early. I made a variety of jello last night so I think she'll be fine.

I'll let you all know how it goes and hopefully the surgery will be very simple!

Thanks Jenny! We really do need to plan some time. I have been so crazed lately with work, school and the kids that I seem to have forgotten how to relax. Are you going to the Darling Doubles Easter egg hunt? PM or email me if you're going!