Neurosurgeon Appointment...again

I took Cayman to Ann Arbor yesterday for another unplanned appointment with her Neurosurgeon. Mike and I had measured her head and it had grown bigger and the gaps between her skull bones are further apart. We emailed Dr. Maher some pictures and asked him if he thought we should make the trip up there before her next appointment, which is thursday May 1st. He thought it was best for him to see her sooner. Daddy had to go to work, so Grandma Cindy and Aunt Madison came to Ann Arbor with me. It was the first time we've went without Daddy. It was sad. We missed him. Dr. Maher ordered for an ultrasound to be done on Cayman's head. It looked the same as from the last ultrasound that was done March 20th (a week before Cayman came home from the hospital). Dr. Maher measured her head. It was 46 cm. She was born with it at 48 cm, so it's not far off from where it was. The doctor adjusted the shunt setting (down to 1.0 now). One of two things is going on he said. Either the body and shunt are still adjusting to each other or the shunt is plugged. He said that protein in the Cerebrospinal Fluid sometimes can plug a shunt. If that is the case she'll have to have surgery to replace the shunt. As the doctor keeps turning the valve setting down and we don't see extra fluid draining then we can know that it is plugged. You know those moments where you want to take a pillow and scream as loud as you can into it? That's what I feel like doing. First it was draining too much, so we prayed it would correct itself so she could avoid surgery. Now it's not draining enough, and we're praying it will pick up so again we can avoid surgery. Talk about a yo-yo effect!! But once again, Dr. Maher is staying positive. He thinks we'll see it drain more again on its own and the right valve setting will be found that will regulate Cayman's head drainage so it's stable and not all over.

Grandma Cindy and Aunt Madison stayed the night with me while Daddy was at work. Every night Cayman seems to have an awake, fussy time that is usually between 2 a.m.-4 a.m. I was very tired so Mom got up and sat with Cayman so I could get some sleep. When I woke up this is how I found them: