Well, as always, things aren't going to go quite as planned. Stephanie and I met with the neurosurgeon yesterday and we are planning to implant a shunt within the next couple of weeks. A special valve has to be ordered so we are hoping for around the 19th of February.
The unexpected part came when the surgeon said Stephanie can't have a brain shunt (ventriculoperitoneal shunt) because her ventricles are too small. That leaves us with gettting a lumboperitoneal shunt. This goes into her spine on her lower back and the valve sits under the skin by her oblique muscles and the drain tube runs into her abdomen in the front. I am nervous enough about having something foreign implanted into my little girl, but it makes me even more uneasy knowing that this kind of shunt can cause another serious condition called Chiari Malformation wherein the brain eventually malforms by getting "sucked in" a bit into the spinal column at the base of your brain/neck. It is a risk, a small one, but it happens to people and I had already read alot about it on one of the forums I frequent. These are real people dealing with this additional condition. Yikes! One day at a time Darlyn, one day at a time.
So the next couple of weeks will consist of a few more appointments - pre-op physical, anesthesia follow up etc.
As for some good news, Stephanie is really enjoying our new home! We moved a couple of weeks ago and it has been great for all of us to spend time on the same level. We moved from a two story house into a bungalow and it was a good decision! She is enjoying exploring the new space and my husband and I are able to include her in more daily activities since she used to spend most of her time in her room on the second floor. He even had her sweeping the kitchen yesterday!
Until next post - keep smiling!
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