Creepy flashbacks but with a happy ending

Samantha went for the MRI on her pelvis and her knee yesterday. We're still trying to get to the bottom of the knee pain that's plagued her for more than three months.

Because she's only 5 the procedure is done under a general sedative administered intravenously. Sam was a real trooper about the needles, even though she was scared. She got through the insertion of the I/V really well, and fell asleep in just a few minutes. I accompanied her into the room where the MRI was done and stayed by her side the whole time.

The procedure was probably more nerve-wracking for me than for her. There's something inexpressibly creepy about seeing your child lying motionless, effectively unconscious, hooked up to wires and monitors and surrounded by doctors and nurses. I was having some nasty flashbacks to Emily, even though of course the situations weren't at all similar. I must have been showing some reaction, because the anesthesiologist asked if I was okay.

The MRI lasted about an hour and a half, after which we went to the recovery room where Amy joined us. Sam woke up right on schedule, 15 minutes after the sedative was discontinued. She was groggy and tired for the next few hours, as they told us she would be, but by 8 or 9 at night she was a rollicking bundle of energy, practically bouncing off the walls, and she went to school today as if nothing at all happened yesterday.

I just hope the MRI reveals the cause of the pain. But we probably won't get any results back until early next week, so it's still just a waiting game.