Friday, July 15, 2005

CT Scan and Eye Surgery

Holland had her eye surgery this morning. Everything went as well as could be expected and she is now home recuperating. In technical terms she had a "bilateral medial rectus recession." This basically means that the eye doctor moved the muscles on the inside of both eyes to straighten them. Hopefully this will prevent her from starting to favor one eye over the other and developing amblyopia, or loss of vision in the other eye. With a little work, it should also help her to start using her eyes better together. Holland was under general anesthesia for the surgery. They gave her gas through a mask to put her to sleep before putting in an IV. I was glad about that because I had spent a lot of time worrying about the IV. Holland loves Dr. Tisch and was all smiles when she carried her back to surgery. She even had some smiles for her after waking up from the anesthesia. All in all it wasn't too bad of an experience. Holly was a little crabby waking up, her eyes are really bloodshot on the insides, and are swollen and really watery. When she gets tired she tries to rub her eyes and I can tell that they are sore. I feel really terrible when she cries because I can't stand the thought of her being in pain. One thing we all know is that Holland is one tough little gal.

After a nice long afternoon nap, Holland woke up in a good mood and was ready to play. She kept staring at Eden and smiling at every move she made. It was so funny watching them because Holland kept wanting whatever toy Eden had. She would drop her toy over the edge of the table and try to grab Eden's toy. Eden has quite a strong will though and can definitely hold her own!

Last week Eden had her first appointments with the cochlear implant team at U of M, and with the surgeon who will perform the surgery. Yesterday she went in for a CT scan of her temporal lobes to check the structure of her inner ear and to rule out any physical abnormalities. She had to be put under sedation for the procedure (just like when she went for the sedated hearing test in April). She was given this nasty tasting medication called chloral hydrate. The nurse told us it would take about 15-30 minutes to work, but after gagging and choking the medication down Eden was snoring in less than 5 minutes! She slept for about four hours straight when we got home. We don't have results back yet, but the surgeon said that based on how Eden looks it would be really rare for there to be any major problems. We have heard some incredible stories about the implant and are really excited about it. At this website, www.laneyjane.com, you can read about a little girl who got the implant around 18 months and is now around 8 years old. They have auditory clips that show how her language has developed over the years and it is really amazing.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

i'm happy to hear the surgery went OK. i'm sure you are glad it's over. it seems they are both little tough guys. i've been showing the invitation to my friends and they are in awe. my friend alex read the entire sit, start to finish, the other day. i'll see you soon!
love, lisa

Anonymous said...

oops, i meant website, not sit. it's too early...
lis

Kendra Lynn said...

Dear Billie:
Sound like you've had some positive news lately..that's great! I'm glad to hear that both girls are doing so well with the sight and hearing issues....they ARE tough little girls! And you are a tough little mommy...good job! :)
I love ya lots.
Kendra

Anonymous said...

Advances in the medical field has made so much possible for Holland and Eden. It's a blessing. My heart goes out to you both, though. I know it's heart wrenching when you see your little girls in pain or discomfort, but I'm so happy to continue reading about all the pluses in your lives. I'll continue praying for you. God bless you. Connie Wilhoite

Kate Giovinco Photography said...

I am glad to hear the surgery went well for Holland and cant wait to see how well Eden does with her surgery. The girls are beautiful.

Anonymous said...

So glad to hear that things went will with Holly's surgery as well as with Eden's CT scan. They look so very, very cute - especially Holly in her little gown. I can't wait to see you all. Much love and thoughts your way. Love, Jess

Anonymous said...

Hi there! My co-workers daughter had the same surgery as Holly back in the 80's (I think even before MaDonna and Micheal Jackson) and her eyes are in good shape today! Apparently she was a premie as well- sounds common. I'm glad to hear Holly's recovery went well, she looks a little out of sorts in the picture...hee, hee! I see Eden still enjoys the red light on the camera, she is always all smiles in her pictures. Looking forward to the seeing you very soon! Love, Donna

Kate Giovinco Photography said...

How is Holland. We havent heard from you in a few days. I am sure you are busy but I was just curious how she is doing.

Billie said...

Kate,
Holland is great! Thanks for asking. Her eyes are almost completely clear and they look fabulous. We had an appointment today and the eye dr says that everything looks good, and we don't even have to do anymore patching for now. She doesn't need to go back until Sept 20. I'll post some pics asap. I left my camera at my friend Lizzie's house, so can't post a pic of Holland's pretty eyes until I get a chance to pick it up!
Billie

Kate Giovinco Photography said...

Well that is great news. I am glad to hear her surgery went well and she is recovering wonderfully. Yah no more patches, that is awesome. Cant wait to see the pictures.