So we are all set for May 1st right? Maybe. (read on) Yesterday we spent 9 hours at children’s hospital, really. We met with Dr. Duffy, Ella’s neurologist, Dr. Black the neurosurgeon that will operate on Ella and the pre-op clinic for final tests and instructions before surgery. So here is the thing. The anesthesiologist at the pre-op clinic felt that Ella’s cold might introduce an additional risk and recommended pushing off surgery by three weeks. It is still unclear whether that will happen. Dr. Black would like the final decision to be made by the anesthesiologist who will actually be performing anesthesia rather than the doctor at pre-op. There might also be some sort of power struggle involved. The bottom line is that we will not know till Monday (two days prior to surgery) whether or not it will happen next week. This of course calms us down to no end and allows for relaxed planning and consideration.
So you can imagine we are climbing the walls. An additional piece of information was disclosed with our conversations with Dr’s Duffy and Black. The right hemisphere has grown more than anticipated and has started to encroach on the left hemisphere. The danger from the right hemisphere is no longer ‘just’ for seizures and electrical activity. At this point the danger is physical. The one comforting thing about that is that the dilemma concerning surgery just evaporated. There is no choice. The danger is very real. Another comforting issue was Dr. Black explaining to us why it is virtually impossible for them to remove the wrong hemisphere. This came about because I disclosed I have these reoccurring nightmares where Ella is operated on and they remove the wrong side. He told us he shares that nightmare. I can imagine. Just when we think we have a plan, maybe. Poof! Then again. Maybe we do have a plan. Ella’s cold is getting slowly better.
I hope that by Monday it will be completely gone.