I find it ironic that October is National Spina Bifida Awareness Month and it is the second October in a row where Mason’s had shunt surgery. Welcome to real life with Spina Bifida! It’s official, Mason has his 6th shunt revision surgery tomorrow morning around 10am. The neurosurgeon is optimistic that this will also help fix the leg issues Mason is having. If it does not the we will probably pursue a detethering. While we were told Mason’s cord is not tethered that isn’t exactly accurate. It is tethered a little bit. It just isn’t a big tangled mess.
My sister asked a very good question: Why won’t we move forward with a detethering surgery if Mason’s leg gets better? We know it is tethered some, don’t we need to fix that? Yes and no. Eventually we will have to do a detethering surgery but it is risky and can cause further damage to Mason’s spinal cord and nerves. If we detethered tomorrow it could reattach worse and need redone in a year and again and again. If it is not causing problems we will leave it alone as long as possible to minimize the number of times we have to do that surgery.
How is Mason right now? He’s pretty good! Happy and comfortable, he is playing with a puzzle and needs a bath.
How is Mommy? A wee bit stressed. I know this is what we need to do right now but it doesn’t make it any easier. This time the possible complications from a shunt revision weigh heavily on my mind. Brain damage, bleeding out, stroke, death.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for shunts and neurosurgeons. Without them Mason would have died shortly after birth. I know that Heavenly Father isn’t surprised that Mason is having surgery again. He’s got this all worked out, planned out even. Nights like tonight remind me how glad I am that God doesn’t show me everything that will happen from now until I die. I don’t think I want to know just how many more surgeries are ahead of Mason.
What about you? Would you want to know what’s ahead in life or not?
As always, prayers for Mason, the doctors, nurses, and family are appreciated. Prayer is powerful!
absolutely praying for you and your li'l guy! I admit there are times when I've wanted Heavenly Father to show me the end . . . or at least a few steps down the road, but for now, 'one step enough for me' :)
ReplyDeleteI'll be praying for Mason tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteWe will be praying for your family tomorrow and the rest of the week! Remember that you are not alone in this. Not only have a lot of parents been special-needs parents (me being one of them), there is people praying for you all, and remember the legions of heavenly beings on the other side that are also asking God for you all.
ReplyDeleteIt's 10:03am EST here, and I am praying for the little guy and his doctors!
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