Appointments

The medical appointments today went well. The pre-surgery appointment took forever and was largely a waste of time. We were there from 8:30am to 10AM, then we rushed for his well baby appointment that was at 10am. We didn't learn a whole lot at the pre-surgery. We have to call the day before and find out what time the surgery will be. They can't guaruntee that we will get the very first appointment, but it is likely that we will get it unless there is someone younger than Wyatt having surgery that day. They may give him a sedative before they take him back. The anesthesiologist has to check as Wyatt is only one. We won't get to be there when he wakes up either. Although, the anesthesiologist did tell us that recently he had seen some parents come back for the general anesthesia, but we shouldn't count on it.

Wyatt is now 50% for weight at 22lb 13.2oz. He is 30.5" and his head is 19", which is the 90% for head circumference. Dr. Saba thinks his growth is excellent. He got three vaccinations, we put off the MMR and chicken pox until his next appointment as we didn't want to interfere with surgery.

At the neurology appointment, we discussed the unusual way Wyatt is pulling to stand. Dr. Malhotra thinks that it might be a clinical sign that his cord is tethered. Wyatt still has tone issues, but only in his legs now, which also supports a tethered spinal cord as a brain injury would more likely be all over his body and not just in the legs. But Dr. Malhotra could also explain the issue with brain injury if the cord is not tethered. He said either way the prognosis is very good. The surgery to un-tether the cord is in his words "easy." If it is the result of the PVL, with physical therapy he expects him to be normal (or close to normal).

He thinks we should continue physical therapy. So we go back in 3 months to see him again as he wants to follow along and see if his standing changes. We won't know about the tethered spinal cord until we get the next MRI. He didn't recommend moving up the MRI either because myleniation won't be complete until around then. I think that his theory is that if the standing improves it is brain injury, if it doesn't it is probably tethered spinal cord.

He did not mention cerebral palsy at all and I didn't bring it up. He seemed very positive actually. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted. I am glad I went. I considered not going, Rus was encouraging me not to go, but I just had to.