I’m thrilled. I had been preparing myself for a battle with Children’s Hospital to get its anesthesia policy changed so that Jude isn’t traumatized while being held down and stabbed with an IV every 4 months for MRIs, but it turns out that no battle will be necessary. I just have to schedule his appointments with anesthesiologists rather than with intensivists. I’m a little upset that no one told me about this distinction that makes the difference between no pain and torture, but I suppose it’s better late than never. Here is an email that lays out the story that I sent to Jude’s oncologist so that hopefully they change how they do the anesthesia for young children.
Hello Dr. Bendel,
I wanted to follow-up with you about anesthesia for Jude’s regular MRIs. I may not have mentioned it in the past, but Jude has always been traumatized by the sedation at Children’s for the MRIs. Usually it takes 1 parent and 2 nurses to restrain him while they stab him with the IV or do a blood draw (e.g., prior to the port placement). He is often a sweaty mess afterwards. After seeing how great IU did anesthesia, I followed up with Children’s surgery team. An anesthesiologist from Children’s just called after reviewing Jude’s records to determine how anesthesia was administered in the past. For Jude’s regular MRIs, anesthesia has always been scheduled as an outpatient with an intensivist rather than with an anesthesiologist. Apparently the health care provider makes all the difference. Anesthesiologists, unlike intensivists, are trained in breathing a kid to sleep (and then starting an IV). Intensivists only have the ability to do sedation through IV medication (which involves a poke while awake). So, it sounds like it will not be a problem on the 27th (for port removal / MRI) to have Jude put to sleep with no poke while he is awake which is a huge relief to me (and will be to Jude). I’m only following up with you because I think it might be helpful for someone at Children’s to consider scheduling regular MRIs for young kids with anesthesiologists instead of intensivists so that the sedation procedure can be less traumatic (or at least laying out the options for the parents since I had no idea there was a non-traumatic alternative).Â
 Hope you are well!
 Jessica