Just a little glimps of Children's Hospital...

Another 3 weeks has gone by....

     So, we're back in Cincinnati.  This time, however, we traveled a little lighter.  Paul drove Claire and I down to Buffalo (9 hours south or Iroquois Falls) while we left big sister Eva at home with Paul's parents.  I was so upset about leaving Eva at home, in a different country, thinking that she would NEED me.  Of course, when I left her she simply said "Bye mommy" and hasn't asked for him since.  Ha, I think I need her more than she needs me; what a social butterfly!  We drove down on Sunday, and Claire and I flew out on Monday.  Poor Paul had to drive back alone, and will have to drive back down on Wednesday to pick me up on Thursday.  It's a busy week!
    Tuesday we had a visit with the Doctor.  Claire was a whopping 16lbs 9oz!   What a fatty!  Claire checked out pretty well.  Nothing has really changed in terms of symptoms.  Her head size (95th percentile) is relative to her body. (she's wearing 6-9 month clothing....clothes that Eva wore till she was 10-11months old.  Granted, Eva was petite, but Claire is huge! )  This appointment gave me the opportunity to ask a bunch of questions.  I read a book on hydrocephalus, so a had a lot to ask.  The reason she would have hydrocephalus (for all you medical people) is due to the Chiari II malformation.  Her cerebellum is blocking the flow of cerebral spinal fluid thru the forth ventricle.  He says that sometimes this can work itself out, and that if anyone is in the 5th percent on not developing hydrocephalus with a Chiari II, it would be her. So, we're still hoping for the best.  Dr. Maugans said that if there is a significant change (A LOT more fluid) in her MRI in 3 weeks, he would probably shunt, even if there are no symptoms.  But, if the change is gradual, then he will just continue to follow her.  Again, we'll just wait and see, which is alright with us!

  For those of you who are not in the area on Northern Kentucky, I thought I'd might share an article with you....

http://home.catholicweb.com/covingtondiocese/files/Messenger/Feb_26_10_Messenger.pdf.

    After Paul and I gave our "baby testimony" at Youth 2000 in October, people who worked at the Diocesean Catholic newspaper in Covington wanted to do a story on us.  We finished writing the story the night BEFORE Claire came into the world, but it took a while for everything to come together.  So, the writer kind of re-wrote our story from what we had sent him and our blog.  This is the result.  Actually, the article on page 6 (the article right before ours) is of Mother Seraphina.  She is the reason we named Claire after St. Gerard Majella.  She gave us the novena to St. Gerard at Youth 2000 and we faithfully asked for his intercession.