The Results Are In ...

I finally called the hospital on Monday to get the results of MRI. I figured waiting a week to hear something was reasonable and a phone call wasn't out of place. Our surgeon's assistant said she couldn't give us the results since she wasn't a clinician, but that the doctor would be in and out of the office the rest of the day and she'd have her call me back that afternoon or the next day. I was sure I'd be calling again today, but only an hour or two later, I received a call!

The surgeon started by asking how Emma was, checking to make there hadn't been anymore swelling (not even a little since surgery!), and continued by telling me that 'Everything looked fine,' and 'There is nothing of concern on the MRI.' There was a little tiny 'but'. She has 'asymmetry of the ventricles' as a result of her shunt. One ventricle has collapsed and the other hasn't. It isn't something to worry about, but could look concerning if I'd seen the MRI report without an explanation. She said it's a very common occurrence in shunted children. The smaller ventricle is usually, as in Emma's case, the ventricle in which the ventricular catheter is placed. It causes that ventricle to drain a little more than the other. I don't know the extent of the asymmetry, but a suspect some of it, if only a little, may be just the way Emma was built. Thinking back to all her spinal taps, when the ventricles were measured after each tap, they were never exactly the same size. One was always slightly larger than the other. It was only 2 millimeters or so, but it was still a difference. Her surgeon said they might even out as she grows, but if they don't, it doesn't matter. So, I would have preferred if the result was, 'Oh they are both perfect and exactly the right size!', but the important thing is that the shunt is working and her ventricles aren't continuing to grow! Mission: accomplished. For now, anyway.

A new view of her shunt -- It now has a lot of very blonde hair growing in over it.

A side view -- definitely a bump, but soon it will be completely hidden.

On the topic of our new concerns: teeth, food and a rash, we had a visit with Dr. Sullivan today. Aside from some apparent anxiety over the exam table (She screamed every time I put her down on it and stopped when I picked her up.) which didn't exist before, we had a good visit. I guess getting 3 shots and having a terrible experience trying to have an IV placed in 10 days has had a negative effect on her feelings about exam tables. Despite a tiny weight loss (less than an ounce), Dr. Sullivan was happy with Emma's growth. She continues to be at the 25th - 30th percentile for weight. The weight loss was really a result of me feeding her right before she was weighed at her last weigh-in. She was 15 lbs 15 oz 10 days ago and 15 lbs 14.2 oz today.

Our skinny little thing practicing her sitting (Ignore the mess! I'm trying to purge junk!)

As far as the rash goes, she suspects it might be a strep rash. Apparently, a baby can get it from his/her diaper. She did a strep culture from her diaper, which of course Emma HATED! She wasn't convinced it was strep so until the culture comes back, she prescribed another cream to treat a yeast rash. The Lotramin hasn't been doing much so hopefully this will help. There is still a small possibility that it's just eczema, but that doesn't show up in the diaper area usually. The other red spotty rash everywhere else actually is eczema so we'll continue to put Aquaphor on -which feels delightful (ugh!)- until it goes away.

The food issue is a little less of a mystery. She didn't think it sounded like allergies which made me feel better because I was beginning to think she'd have to drink formula and eat applesauce for the rest of her life. She suspects that her digestive system is just having a hard time adjusting to the new bulk in her diet. We'll start over and go a little bit more slowly this time while trying to work out the issues. I'm going to introduce each food one at a time all over again and look for any of the signs I suspected were clues to a reaction. (I even made an official fod journal to keep track of each new food, the amount and any reactions to it.) She also suggested giving her a little prune juice and/or water after she eats solids to help with digestion. I'm now ready to tackle solids anew!

The bib says it all especially if feeding her continues to go the way it has been.


It's a rare occurence, but Emma is now sometimes able to feed herself!

Finally, the teeth .... "Are we getting any teeth?" she asked. I told her of the joke my mom and I had about teething and that I really hoped she saw something in there. What did she see?? Teeth! She said she definitely has them. She can see the clear part which I guess is how they appear from the top before they fully push through. She couldn't give me a date for the arrival, but it could be in the next few days or sometime in the next month. She said she made the mistake of saying that she saw another baby's and they'd pop through in a week only to have them come back at their next appointment still toothless. She's seen them come up within a few days though. The important thing is that I'M NOT CRAZY! She said she is probably feeling the pressure of the teeth pushing their way up causing her discomfort. So some of her whining has been her teeth after all!

She will have to go back in about 3 weeks to get her second flu shot (Babies need a booster.) and her last RSV vaccine! I'm not looking forward to it, but it should be over quickly. I was hoping they would be her last shots for awhile, but a month later she'll be going in for her 9 month appointment and will need shots then. After that though, we'll be done for awhile. I feel like we can breathe easy a little bit now. Nothing really to be anxious for in the next few months. I'm sure Emma will find something to make my mind and heart race, but hopefully nothing earth shattering. Let's be honest though, I'll be on pins and needles this week just waiting to hear if the strep test came back positive. Will I ever get to put my worries to rest?

It looks like Emma's not so sure about me putting my worries to rest either.