My faith in the Bahamian health system continues thanks to the poking and prodding Sydney has endured this week. On Monday morning, we took her to her regular pediatrician, Dr. Smith, who works with Dr. Lightbourne, who was recommended to us by almost everyone we spoke with. I get the impression Dr. Smith is still inexperienced as she usually consults with Dr. Lightbourse for anything out of the ordinary but she has a good bedside manner (albeit not quite as natural as Dr. L) and Syd seems to like her. I digress.

Drs. S and L had already been informed of the fainting episode and were prepared when we showed up. Dr. S gave Syd the usually physical exam, checking her blood pressure, ears, throat, etc, etc. Nothing out of the ordinary there. Dr. L took over and gave her some more thorough tests involving most letters of the alphabet in their names. He made it clear that he was treating this very seriously as five-year-olds do not often faint for no reason. Syd was a trooper in the next two days as she got, among other tests, an ECG (I think it’s an ultrasound of her heart), an X-ray, and another blood test (which she survived a lot better than the one she got at the hospital). Plus she got to wear a heart monitor for the day. All tests came back indicating she is in perfect health (despite the fact that she unplugged the monitor at least twice that we noticed).

Yesterday, she received her first EEG (the one where they attach a bunch of wires to your head, Matrix-style, and meaure your brain). The technician clearly had had other plans that we interrupted by making an appointment late Friday afternoon but she was polite and very accommodating, considering she expected Sydney to sit still in a chair with her eyes closed for twenty minutes (one of the notes I caught her typing: Lots of peeking). During part of the test, the technician flashed a light at Syd’s eyes while they were closed and this apparently caused various shapes and colours to appear in Syd’s mind which she enjoyed telling us about (“Daddy, I see China words!”).

As expected/hoped, they have found nothing wrong with Sydney. Liza takes that to mean they don’t know what caused her to pass out. That’s true but I have a different take. Syd has gone through the most thorough examination ever in her life (including when she was first born). She even got a flu shot (which, despite you conspiracy theorists, I consider a good thing). Her brain, blood, urine, stomach, and heart have all been under the microscope and they haven’t found a scratch on her. The fainting spell aside, I am more convinced than ever that we have a healthy daughter. Which means I can stop worrying that we aren’t feeding her properly, that she’s not getting enough exercise, or that she’s not getting enough sleep. Add to that the fact that her teacher says she’s advancing very well with her reading and this has been a very uplifting week, all things considered.