I had posted recently on her facebook page asking prayer over her MRI scan's that she recently had done on her brain and spinal cord.
Today we met with and spoke to her Neurosurgeon to discuss the findings on the MRI scans.
Kaitlyn undergoes yearly scans to closely monitor her Chiari and spinal cord.
Many of you will remember that at 11 months old Kaitlyn under went
decompression surgery for her Chiari malformation.
As I've said before in previous post's, that surgery was not the cure for her Chiari, but a procedure to create more room for her cerebellum and relieve the pressure it can cause, also to prevent any obstruction of the
cerebral spinal fluid.
The surgery went very well, and praise the Lord no complications came as a result. She healed nicely and we saw little improvements here and there in her health and development.
As it is not the cure for Chiari malformation, it is common for children to require multiple decompressions surgeries as they grow.
Having this knowledge, and Kaitlyn having been so young for her fist surgery, it has always been a fear that she could require another.
Kaitlyn recently has been battling headaches, while headaches are a hallmark Chiari symptom, she has rarely had them.
So this has been a concern to her Father and I.
They are managed with pain medications and rest, thankfully for now.
Kaitlyn's MRI scans has shown that she has a blockage around the site of her Chiari. (Please see the "What is Chiari" tab if further explanation on Chiari is needed. ) This blockage is caused by previous surgery scar tissues and bone regrowth.
The blockage is essentially preventing proper flow of cerebral spinal fluid from traveling to and from the spinal cord and brain.
In a healthy person, cerebral spinal fluid travels from the spinal cord and up to the brain and down again.
Because of this, an excess of fluid can build up her brain, and it could essentially cause hydrocephalus to occur.
This can cause headaches and pressure, as we know.
Her Dr. has advised us that a surgery to remove the blockage would be in her best interest.
We do not take any medical decision for our children lightly.
It is poured over in prayer and carefully considered.
While we do not wish for our daughter to endure another big surgery,
we want what is absolutely best for her.
We do not wish to see these headaches increase in size and frequency.
We do not wish to see her end up with a more serious condition, as a result of not fixing the problem at hand.
We are a basket full of emotion over the matter, as you can only imagine.
We have been down this road with our little girl, we are no strangers to the pain of watching your helpless child undergo big surgeries.
It does not get any easier, with each surgery she has had.
There is to much emotion to put into words, on how we as her parents feel.
I'm not going to try.
I left the hospital feeling okay, I wasn't dwelling on our not so good news.
I thought, I've heard this before, I can do this.
God has this Mama.
But as the day has worn on, my body and emotions has told me otherwise. I start crying out of no where and my nerves start to bother me. I am only a human, am only a Mama.
There has been good news and bad news given to us today.
I am thankful for the bit of good news that Dr had to tell us, the Lord knows we need a little bit of good mixed in.
It has always helped me to pause and take stock in what I have to be thankful for, when I'm faced with bad news or a bad day.
We enjoyed a beautiful sunny car ride, to what has seemed to be the 200'th trip to Children's Hospital of MI.
We laughed with Kaitlyn over silly things, we sang songs together, we smiled and enjoyed each others company, on the car ride.
I got to see my brave girl boldly go into her apt. with a smile on her face and skip in her step.
Even though, she herself had anxiety over Drs offices and nurses.
She teaches me every single day of her little life, that there is always something to smile about.
Kaitlyn is in kindergarten and doing fantastically in school, she goes to dance class and is happily preparing for her very first dance recital.
She is our little sunbeam.
We do not have a current date for surgery, as we are waiting to be called to schedule it.
I have asked that we do not have the surgery until after her dance recital on May 14th.
This may seem like a trivial thing to some, but it means everything to my little girl, who dreams of being a ballerina when she grows up.
She has worked so very hard, and is thrilled for it to come.
This may be her one and only year of being the ballerina she dreams to be. As we simply do not know what her future holds, in regards to her health.
We are possibly looking at the end of May, early June for this surgery.
We are calling on ALL of Kaitlyn's prayer warriors, some of you have been following her story since birth.
We love and appreciate every single one of you, weather we have personally met you or not.
I take comfort in my Lord, He knows it all.
He has had a plan for Kaitlyn since the day she was born, she is His.
We dedicated her to Him as a baby.
He loves her more than I ever could, and I know that is more than I can possibly imagine.
What a comfort that is to know!
Philippians 4:13
"I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me"
2 Corinthians 12:9
"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
These two verses have comforted me all through Kaitlyn's journey.
I tell her these verses as many times as I can, in hopes that they will to comfort her as she gets older.
They are SO true, amen?
I have seen the power of Christ rest upon my child over and over again for the last nearly 7 years.
I always amazed.
To go through this life without Christ, would be a very scary thing.
Thank you for reading this post.
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy lives, to pray over my daughter. You'll never know how much they mean to us, and to Kaitlyn.
God bless you all.