Complicated

When I got word that Sweetpea was up for adoption, I called right away. I was told she had Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus, (typically if you have SB, you'll have hydrocephalus). We thought nothing of it, (even though we were completely ignorant). We did not care, we wanted to adopt her.

Not once have we regretted this decision. She is the greatest baby ever! I actually cherish our times together in the hospital- cuddling and spending one on one time together.

For hydrocephalus, she has a shunt in her head. February 2011, we took her to the hospital assuming her shunt was malfunctioning. Shunts can last years or fail once a month. Well, we found out last Feb. that it was not her shunt, it was a cyst in her brain. So, on top of her hydrocephalus, she has a cyst.

A very complicated cyst.

We have been hospitalized 5 times since the year and a half since she moved in with us. She has had 3 surgeries, all for her cyst. Not for her hydrocephalus, but her cyst.

So many people avoid adopting children with special needs, and yet the only issues we have had have had nothing to do with her special needs. Go figure, (bottom line, adopt! A dear friend says, "the only special need a child has is to have a family"). :)

If you haven't figured it out yet, the reason we have been in the hospital is because of her cyst. We finally got her old scans and the neuro said that the cyst is stable. Not until she goes downhill will he recommend surgery. I asked a million questions and basically her cyst is super complicated and there isn't one easy quick fix for this. Joy. I'll just have to continue to watch her and continue to rush her to the er every time she exhibits symptoms.

Seizure:
I need to take her to see a neurologist to see if she had a seizure. It seems possible that she did. Her eyes rolled back in her head, she couldn't hold herself up, and her eyes would not focus. She then fell asleep for 7 hours, (after sleeping a full 12 hours that night). I was told that after a seizure it is common for lethargy to set in for a few hours. Sounds just like what happened to Sweetpea.

So add possible seizures on top of her SB, hydrocephalus, and super complicated cyst. We have appointments in April to follow up and begin investigating if she did in fact have a seizure and if so, where to go from there.

Please pray that if it was a seizure, that it would be apparent to the neurologist so we can properly take care of it. Seizures are scary.