Don't Discount a Good Bribe

The three of us do a lot together, and we do it without help. Bubba, Baby, and I can stroll through Wal-Mart, breeze through the vet, run through the doctor's office, and jump in (and out of...more like a bunny hop) a restaurant without a second thought. We do things, just the three of us, all the time and without a second thought, but the thought of me having two children alone at Children's Hospital while one is sedated and getting a head CT made me pause. In fact, it made me twitch a little.

Four days from the appointment, I began to wonder how I was going to handle screaming Baby (because our appointment was at 12:00; her nap time) and screaming, partially sedated Bubba at the same time. Evander, I knew, was out. He had an all-day meeting, so that was out of the question and my good friend, Momma Bird, had the flu. Evander thought of a person who turned out to have better things to do than watch my child, so I was stuck. I had resigned to the fact that I would strap Baby in the stroller and listen to her scream while I cared for Bubba, who was the one who really needed my attention.

At the last minute, though, I got lucky. Evander got sick (not so lucky for him) and had to come home early from work. YEAH! (Normally I would not cheer about my husband's illness, but this is not a normal situation.) He came home just in time to put Baby to bed, so Bubba (who was already screaming because he wasn't allowed to eat because of sedation) and I were off to the hospital. On the drive over, I got a crazy thought in my head. What if he didn't have to be sedated? After all, without Baby, I could solely focus on Bubba, and I knew that I could convince him to be still. I just had to! He would be so angry and out of sorts if he was sedated, and what if he regressed a little? I couldn't chance it!

After filling out mounds of admissions paperwork, we headed to the radiology department to check in. I approached the girl at the desk to check in and then went to sit. Then, I went for the re approach. "Is there any way we can do a test run?" I said to her as she gave me a puzzled look. "Excuse me, ma'am?" she said. "You know, can we try this without sedation first?" After calling the radiologist and giving me a not so reassuring look she said the radiologist would come and speak to me. I have it in the bag, I thought!

A tiny brown skinned, dark headed man emerged from the forbidden entry doors and glanced at me from around a post, while he was pretending to look at our paperwork. I decided I would stare him down, so he might be intimidated. I was, I presumed, about the same size as him, but had a much more determined look than he could ever pull off. He shuffled over from behind his hiding spot and it began:

"Ma'am, I am Mark, and I will be doing Bubba's head CT. He is 2 right?"

"Yes."

"Well, most 2 year olds are unable to sit still for this type of thing."

"It lasts a maximum of 5 minutes, correct."

"Yes, that is correct."

"Well...he isn't most 2 year olds, so lets try it."

"I don't think it's a good idea. He looks very rambunctious out here and I don't want to expose him to any extra radiation."

"His waiting room appearance does not correspond to his head ct appearance, so lets go."

"I really don't think this is a good idea."

"Well...he's my son, not yours, and I would like to try it."

"Ok, but I will not start the scan until he is completely still. If he is moving then we will have to stop and sedate him."

"Fine"

Then, Mark led us to the room. Before we entered I knelt down next to Spencer and said, "Let me see your eyes. This is a big doughnut. You are going to slide in the middle of the doughnut, and its going to take your picture. You like doughnuts right? It won't hurt you. You have to be VERY still though. You have to freeze and not move anything while you are in the doughnut. If you are completely still and let this doughnut take your picture, you can have a Dr. Pepper when you are done." As I finished, a smile crept across his face, and I could tell he was thinking of a nice Dr. Pepper. Finally he said, "and a snack?" "And a snack," I said.

He hopped up on the table and let complete strangers position his head and body. He was completely limp as they moved his head and placed the lead apron on him. I held his hand and they agreed to begin. One thing I had forgotten to tell him, though, was the noise the "doughnut" would make, and I could feel him tense. Then I heard, "Mommy?" "You are ok! I'm holding your hand. Don't move!!" I kept reassuring him, as I heard it again; "Mommy?" "Do you want that Dr. Pepper? Then DON'T MOVE!" "Mommy, my tongue moving!" I tried not to laugh as I said "It's ok, just don't move your head."

In no time he was done and off the CT. The radiologist and nurse were amazed. They both said they have never seen someone so young sit through that before. They were lavishing him with praise, but he didn't care. He wanted his Dr. Pepper, and you better believe he got it. I was SO proud of him that I knew I could handle a little hyperactivity over sedation. He also knew that I always keep my promise, or it might not have worked. I know books and discipline gods say not to bribe your children, but I say never discount a good bribe (or a sick husband).