I don't know how to say that everything is not okay. That the catscan was for a reason. I don't know how to say it, so bear with me as I just jump right in.
Asher has a condition called hydrocephalus. The CT showed that the ventricles that bring fluid to his spinal cord from his brain are dilated. This means they're too full, making it impossible for good flow and leaving too much fluid around his brain.
I don't even completely understand it all myself. We'll have an appointment with the pediatric neurosurgeon to find out the details.
What I know is that the surgeon will go in and put a shunt where the ventricles are, opening it up and creating better flow.
You wanna know what else I know?
1. This was caught before the pressure on his brain caused damage.
2. My friend Katie was with me when I got the call.
3. Uncle Kevin came over right away to be with Miles so I could hide my tension a bit from his sensitive little heart.
4. Ryan is on his way home. I will tell him what's going on when he's here. He planned to be home today before this news. I'm so glad he isn't coming home Friday like he usually does when he's out of town.
5. If we would have had the catscan done after the twelve month appointment, the scan may not have picked up the problem at it's earliest stages. We would have gone on thinking nothing was wrong until we started to notice developmental disabilities. And get this. After that 12 month appointment, I tried SEVERAL times to make the CT appointment at Children's, but they kept saying they hadn't received the order. I would call the Dr.'s office and they would say they did in fact send it to Children's. I would call back to Children's and they would not have it. I gave up and we decided to wait until the 15 month appointment to re-visit the Dr.'s suggestion. Are you with me? It was perfect timing that we found out now instead of too early, or even worse, too late. Wow. I have no idea if that made sense, I'm exhausted.
6. We have such great friends and family. My friend Mackenzie already stopped by just to hug Asher and give me support. My Auntie Kay is bringing over dinner.
Please pray for Asher.
Now I understand why he's been so cranky all these months. The doctor said he's probably got quite the headache. My poor boy. I'm so sorry.
55 clicked right here to comment:
Oh Heather.... I will be praying for that sweet little boy. And for you too... hang in there darling.
I don't think this rules out him being a genius.
I do think this is stressful...but I know you are surrounded by physical and virtual love!
HUGS!--kelly
I'm not sure how to comfort you so I guess I'll just pray that someone smarter than me will.
I do think that the timing for the catscan was one of God's tender mercies. Elder Bednar said, "I testify that the tender mercies of the Lord are real and that they do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Often, the Lord's timing of His tender mercies helps us to both discern and acknowledge them."
Timing is everytime isn't it. We have friends who are going through the shunt in the head thing too. (I can't remember what Abi's illness is.) I have been a prayer warrior for them and I will be one for you. (your family)
Know that you ARE loved my dear friend.
Wow. Wow, and ... wow.
Prayers and love headed your way.
Oh Heather...praying for beautiful little Asher and his mama and doctors.
My thoughts are with Asher and your family, Heather.
You can count on my prayers too. And for what it's worth, I used to be a pediatric physical therapist and have first hand experience with kids that do great with shunts and have no problems at all - they are completely normal. I can't imagine how scared you all are. You will be in our prayers.
I will be praying for you all.
Heather,
God is good. The pieces all came together when they needed to for your baby. I imagine you must be scared right now, but hydrocephalus is treatable, and Asher can have a full, normal life with few limitations once he has his shunt. And yes, he can still be a genius!
Praying for your family,
Corey
www.watchingthewaters.wordpress.com
aw. crap.
Wow, Heather, I got goose bumps reading this. It is plain that the Lord's hand is in Asher's diagnosis. Finding out that there is something wrong with your child is scary but it is kind of a relief when you find out that his behavior isn't because you are a bad mom or that your kid is the "bad seed". We didn't know our big guy couldn't breathe out of his nose until he was about 2.5 (due to huge adnoids, the size of a full grown man). When I think of all those times he was screaming and I covered his mouth which meant he really couldn't breathe at all--ooh, yuck! How wonderful that you know what is wrong and things can be fixed. We are praying for him here at our house. (my security word is progrump. Is that some kind of professional grumpy-guss?)
I'm praying for you and your family, Heather. And I'm with Kelly -- this doesn't rule out him being a Total Genius! Hugs to you my friend, especially until your husband gets home.
So glad things were caught early. I will for sure have you in my prayers. Asher has a great family, and all will be well!
Hi I am a sister of the Three 22nds
and found your blog that way. I just wanted you to know that I prayed (and will try to remember to continue to pray) for you, Asher and your whole family.
Karla
What a blessing in disguise! Your little Asher is very blessed. He has a great mommy and daddy who take such good care of him. Your family and especially Asher will be in my prayers!
Oh, Heather, I am so glad this has been caught at precisely the right time. And I hope that your little one becomes so much more cheerful and happy, that you are relieved, and that this all works out. I will be sending all good thought for Asher. Many hugs.
Oh!!! I just finished writing on the last post, and then read this post. I'm so sorry! But I also notice that you are finding some silver linings through all of this. Sometimes that is all that will help us through the difficult times.
I wish I lived next door to you so I could help in some small way. I will definitely be praying for you though!
Oh Heather! I am so sorry! Quite often we rely on our own agenda when it's clear, God has his!
Thank goodness you went, and thank goodness Dr's were slow, as Dr's are.
Praying for you guys.
Love,
A
Our prayer are for little Asher, you and your family. Hang in there!
I found your blog linked through other links so I hope its okay to comment.
Nothing is more frightening for a Mama than a medical issue for her child. I'm so sorry you are having this stress.
I'm also happy for everyone that it was caught at precisely the right time to be most helpful. Good luck to Asher and family. I hope everything goes as perfectly as possible to resolve this problem.
Oh Heather, your family will definitely be in my thoughts and prayers. And your post made perfect sense.
All in God's perfect timing. You all are in my prayers.
Heather- I will pray for you! May God continue to give you peace, perfect peace...
It sounds like you have been really blessed in all this. I'll keep Asher in my prayers. And you too.
Heather,
First know that this is not something you could have foreseen. You were blessed to get his appointment when you did. God put you on that path for a reason. I will keep Asher and your family in my prayers.
Heather,
Sweet Asher is so fortunate to have you for a mommy. I'm praising God that the doctors discovered this now and I will pray that all is resolved quickly. Keep us all updated.
Heather,
I am at a loss for words. Half because I am heart broken by how much I know this hurts, and half because I am in Awe of God's grace and mercy. His timing truly is perfect, and will remain that way forever and ever. Praise Him for his unchanging love. I will be praying for Asher and for you and your family. How blessed are we to be surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses? How wonderful is the God we serve? Love you lots.
I love stories about the Holy Spirit's nudging. Stories when you look back you can't help but say, "that was God".
We will be praying for little Asher and you all.
Wow, it sounds like God is really in this. Great way to stay on top of your mommy instincts!! I'm praying for your family!
Praying for your family! If there's anything you need, please reach out.
Blessings, Whitney
Isn't a blessing to feel God's hand in your lives, to know how much He loves you and Asher? I am so pleased that you have an answer and a solution. We will definitely pray for you.
Love that you can ALREADY see how God has orchestrated this as to catch the problem at the exactly right time. God is clever that way.
Love that you have so much support.
Love that the God of the universe has that noggin in his hands.
I am so, so sorry that you guys have to go through this. I'm glad you can see some positives in this. I will pray for you and Asher!
Heather, you and your darling boy are in our family's prayers.
I'm so sorry that you've had to go through all of this. But it really is amazing how the timing worked out. I'm so happy to hear that his condition was discovered at the right time. I will keep your beautiful boy in my thoughts and prayers. You are a good Mom - and he's lucky to have you in his corner.
I know a gal with this condition. She had the shunt put in and did fabulously - beautiful, married, five kids, happy life. She has to be monitored, and has had the shunt replaced a couple times, but really, a very happy life. Medical science is incredible.
So are the series of mini-miracles that lead up to things happening in this perfect order. So glad Heavenly Father is watching over your little family so very closely.
You're all very much in my prayers right now. It's going to be okay...it's going to be hard for awhile, but it's going to be okay. ~hugs~
prayers for your family and little ash! keep us updated!!!
I love how you are focusing on the blessings. That is very important...even though it's a trial.
I will pray for Asher. And for you.
Oh Heather! Soon that boy will be over his headaches, I think!
You are amazing to balance out your fear, disappointment and anxiety with a recognition that events could not have unfolded in a better way.
Our prayers are with you!
Oh Heather. Holy crap, I can't imagine. I'm glad you caught it at the right time, but still--doesn't make it a whole lot easier.
Good luck with everything and lots of prayers coming your way.
It's been one of THOSE months hasn't it.
I am so sorry your little guy isn't well.
But praising God that you caught it at just the right time.
Blessings.
I am thankful that you got an anwser at just the right time. I will be praying as you face treatment over the next days, weeks and months.
He is a cutie!
It's so fascinating to me how life can take sudden unexpected turns. And how people like you suddenly gather up all their courage and faith and face it with grace and hope. Like many others have expressed, I know you are not alone in this challenge; God will be watching over you and Asher throughout the whole ordeal and many friends (real and the cyber-type) will be praying for you. If you're not too afraid of me (or my cooking, I guess), I'd love to drop off a meal for you that you can keep in the freezer and use on a hard day. Send me an email if you feel up to it.
Isn't that incredible that even in this frightening and difficult situation you can see the hand of God helping you through it. We like to call those "tender mercies". I'm so glad you can see them for what they are.
Both you and Asher are in my prayers.
Prayers for you, and I am so glad you have such a fabulous support system!
What a neat thing to be able to see God's hand so clearly. What a blessing that the doctors will now be able to help him.
My sister-in-law is pregnant and they think the baby has that same condition.
I will include you when I pray for my brother's baby.
(The word verification was "holeness"...amen!)
When I was teaching kindergarten, I had a girl in my class who had this. She was the most intelligent, perfect little girl and after she had the shunt put in, it didn't affect anything she did except that she had a few extra doctors appointments to check on it to make sure it was all ok. I will think good thoughts for your family, and am so happy this was figured out before it caused permanent damage! I know I don't know you in real life, but I am serious when I say this...if there is anything I can do, please let me know! I'm not sure what I could do but if you can think of something please tell me!
Oh Heather, I'm so sorry to hear this news. This is not what you need right now, is it!?
At the same time, aren't you relieved to see how God worked everything out, to catch it before there was any damage?
From what I understand about hydrocephalus, it shouldn't greatly affect his life.
Praying for peace for you and some relief for Asher while he waits for the surgery.
Sending you love and hugs and tons of well wishes!! How fantastic that the timing worked out so well and that you now know what's going on.
I know how hard it is to watch your kiddo go in for surgery, so if you need someone to talk to, drop me an email anytime. Kids are amazingly resilient and strong (more than us sometimes - I'm convinced), and Asher's got spunk on his side.
Keep us all posted. I'll keep you in my thoughts.
I haven't been over to your blog in some time. I will be praying for you and your boy. For peace. For wisdom. For sensitivity for you and your doctors. For God's abundant power to be at work in you and your little one throughout this process.
Oh Heather. How stressful. But how fortunate for the timing. Praying.
I love the timing. I smile at the timing. i am sorry for the steps that lie ahead and will keep you guys in my prayers!
I hate that I am a few days late in reading this, but I will be praying a ton!
I know this sounds evil, but I keep thinking of the little boy in "So I married an axe murderer" and how the dad shouts "Heed, move" and says all sorts of lines about his son's big noggin ("it's like an orange on a toothpick" is one of my faves!). Maybe me thinking of that will make you smile? You are one of the few friends who might smile at that with me. :)
I love that you have some answers. I had an experience like that with my Logan when she was very little, and the "Ah ha, so that is why she cries all the time" was really, really sweet.
Hugs!
Oh, praying... sweet Asher.
Steph
How great that you caught this ... goosebumps in 90 degree temps -- praying praying ...
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