Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Good News & Bad

Today there was good news are bad. I will give you the good news first. The approved the transfer and Raegan can go to SW. The bad news is that on Sunday the measured Raegans head and it was 1cm bigger. They did an ultra sound and the ventricles on her brain have gotten bigger. The Nero Surgeons are going to look at the ultra sound in the morning and decide if she will have to have surgery or if they will just wait and watch. If she has to have surgery she could a shunt put in.

A shunt is a narrow, soft and pliable piece of tubing (approximately 0.25 cm. in diameter) which is surgically implanted into the ventricle through a small hole made in the skull. All shunts have a valve system which regulates the pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid and prevents backward flow of fluid into the ventricles. It opens automatically when the pressure exceeds a certain pressure(usually called the 'opening pressure' of the shunt) and allows CSF to drain. The valve closes again when the pressure returns to the permitted level.

They could put in a short term shunt or a long term shunt. Not sure what they will do. I will update every tomorrow and let you know whats going on. For now I am really tired and I am off to bed. It will be a long day tomorrow, as it was today.

2 comments:

Erin Shea said...

my niece has two shunts one coming from where her sofrt spot was and ron from the base os her brain stem... think of it this way... it is not bad news, it is something that will improve her quality of life... and didn't exist just a few years ago. Be thankful she has the medical help she gets. :) PLus it's always fun to french braind hair and try to get the parts straight around all the squiggles! :-P hehe

Anonymous said...

I am so glad to hear she is moving closer. That must feel good.

Surgery sounds scary, will this delay her move?

Are you guys raising money for medical expenses, or to buy baby stuff?

Love,

Debbie

 

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