Shunt Revision

Well, our little fella's almost a year old. It's been a fantastic year! His smiles are pure joy, and his laugh is infectious. We've just had the best time.

But the other day he had a pediatric visit, and the doctor noted that his head growth was literally "off the chart." She immediately recommended a scan. The results showed a buildup of fluid in the ventricles -- hydrocephalus. This is usually a sign of shunt malfunction. She suggested we take him to the TX Children's ER. Jen & Paton arrived last night, and they did a head ultrasound. The results confirmed the hydrocephalus, and further tests confirmed that there is some kind of blockage in the shunt system.

So the little fella's in surgery now as I write this. According to the Spina Bifida Association, "about 40 percent of shunts will fail and need changing (or revision) within one year, 60 percent within five years and 80-85 percent within 10 years. About 20 percent of people with Spina Bifida will need more than one shunt revision." So I guess we're pretty close to being "average" at this point.

Keep us in your prayers.

I'll try to post a little later today.