MRI results & Caitlin's new role :)

Tuesday was such an important day for our family this week.  Caitlin had an MRI of her brain back in Jan and we were finally meeting with her neurosurgeon to discuss the results.  But before we had that appointment we had a very important appointment to get too first - a scan appointment at the maternity unit were we seen our new little baby kicking and dancing around.  I'm 12 weeks pregnant!! :D
That scan was amazing.  I only had one good carefree scan before that with Caitlin - also the 12 week scan.  After than it was the diagnosis of SB (at 20 week scan) then a lot of tense scans measuring the fluid in her brain and keeping a close eye on her.  SB sucked all the excitement and fun out of my pregnancy. Hopefully it won't be the same for this baby but if that is what's meant for us then that will be okay too and we will love this new baby as much as we love our precious girl.  It was so reasurring to see the baby at 12 weeks on the scan - it was actually my 5th scan as I am classed as being high risk in pregnancy.    I'll probably talk about why that is later on but right now this post is going to be a happy one!

My first scan at 6 weeks the baby was just a little bean, but there was a tiny little heartbeat :).  By 9 weeks I could see tiny arms starting to form and by 12 weeks there was a fully grown baby waving, kicking and jumping!!

The midwife looked at the back and we have a pic, it looks good but the baby is too small to confirm the spine is closed.  I have a specialist scan in around a month to check for spina bifida, but I'll worry about that closer to the time!

We are so lucky to have our gorgeous baby girl, and another on the way :) Caitlin is super excited to be becoming a big sister and is pretty certain she's having a baby brother.  Though I'm pretty certain baby is another girl, the cravings for chocolate and anything sweet is back with a vengeance, just like it was with Caitlin.  I'll be delighted with either a boy or a girl :)

After the scan we had to meet with the consultant who said I would be very unlucky to have another baby with SB esp now I've taken folic acid.  I didn't like that statement.  Firstly, I am very lucky to have Caitlin and secondly I did take my folic acid before I fell pregnant with Caitlin.  I made a point of telling her that Caitlin is actually doing great, she's a funny, stubborn smart 2 year old.  I like to tell consultants the reality of having a child with SB - maybe it will change what they say to parent's who's babies have just been diagnosed.

Anyway, when we left the hospital we went to my Aunt's to pick up Caitlin, had lunch then straight back to hospital for her appointment.  David took the day off work to be at both appointments.  I am terrible for remembering what her neuro says to me so I like him to be there!  Of course we waited and waited and as soon as David popped outside for "fresh air" (I'm pretty sure it was for a sneaky smoke) the neuro calls us.  Now, Caitlin doesn't like going into the neurosurgeon's office.  So I was thinking, "Great, I've to lift Caitlin as she won't walk in, her walker, our bags and our coats"  Perfect timing for David to have popped out!  Turned out Caitlin did so much better than she usually does!  Her neuro bought up the pictures of her brain MRI on his computer, pointing out various parts of the brain that I can't pronounce never mind spell.  If I had have read the report myself I would have been devastated, it said one ventricle is very small and compressed, one is dilated, chiari II malformation is present amongst other things.  But he told me it was actually a good report for a child with SB.  The syrinx she had at the top of the spine had shrunk significantly, indicating her shunt is working well.  We already knew she has chiari II malformation and he said it isn't that significant.  The ventricle's being dilated and small isn't affecting her so no need to worry about that.  It just goes to show, so many babies are aborted because of the scary terms the doctors use.  If I was given a list of everything found from these MRI's before Caitlin was born I would believe she would live a life of pain and suffering.  But it's just NOT the case!  I find it hard to believe she has been diagnosed with all these things and she's such a perfect little girl.

I talked with him about all my concerns with her walking but he doesn't want to do an MRI of her spine just yet.  I wasn't sure how I felt about that, but he's the expert.  He feels as the brain MRI showed the syrinx at the top of the spine has shrunk, chances are the rest have shrunk too.  She's still functioning at her level and she's not showing any signs of pains in her legs.  He examined her and Caitlin only cried a little bit as we removed her socks & shoes (she thinks she's getting blood taken).  The neuro told her he was just checking her toes and feet, to which she replied, "No, I want Mummy to do it!"  She came around very quickly though, which is such a big deal for her.  Usually she screams the place down until we leave the hospital.  As it happened, she started talking to the neuro and when it was time to go she cried that she wanted to stay!  I hope the fear of hospitals and doctors is starting to lessen now, it would make appointments much easier :)

So along with the neuro's views about her walking, and the fact she is walking much better holding my hand, it's making me come round to the idea that maybe she is just becoming over familar with the walker rather than symptomatic tethered cord.  Here's a video of her walking at the zoo, she did so well and walked for ages!

All in all it's been a fantastic week.  I find in our lives when everything is going so well something bad usually happens so I'm trying to stay optimistic!  Hopefully it's our time for some time to be excited, happy and for everything to go well :)  I'm trying to slow our lives down a little, we literally have one day a year that we stay at home all day (every Boxing Day) but today I've cancelled visiting and we are having a lazy day!  I love just spending time with my princess.  She's learning so much every day.  Yesterday she was playing with her bus and said to me "Mummy, that's an Octagon."  I looked at her confused and asked her what did she say.  She pointed at a shape on the bus and said again, "That's an Octagon!"  I had to ask her Dad if that was an Octagon, I didn't even know!  Sure enough it was!  Needless to say she was covered in kisses and praised for being such a clever girl.  She then crawls straight over to her shape puzzle, points to the Oval and tells me "That's an Oval Mummy!"  Such a show off :)  For a kid with hydrocephalus, Chiari II malformation, small compressed ventricle and a dilated ventricle, she sure doesn't let it stop her being super smart.  Ok, I'm bragging about her now lol.  I can't wait to see her with a new baby brother or sister, I think she'll be a brilliant big sister :)