Ella's Pages

A long and tortuous process. Twenty-five electrodes used. After Ella’s head was measured and the spot for each electrode marked by a soft red pencil, the round sensor was pasted on with a gel glue, covered by a small patch of gauze and then blow dried. With all those electrodes on her tiny head she looked quite the alien being. We regretted not having a camera.

She cooperated well and once all the electrodes were in place, I nursed her throughout the entire hour of the test. As the colored lines of the numerous electrodes flowed across the monitor screen and we chatted with the technician, Etan and I hoped that everything would still be okay with our little daughter. Mainly, that her brain would not be effected by this horrible condition.

We were told to prepare for an overnight stay to observe her after the anesthesia.They told us not to nurse her before bringing her in so that we could nurse her immediately before the test and thus put her to sleep. At Children’s, in radiology, the technician explained that if we nursed her and she wasn’t still in the machine we’d have to come back another day because they would then use anesthesia which must be given on an empty stomach.

A gamble. We decided to try without nursing or anesthesia. She slept like a log. She was the cutest little bundle going into that big, noisy machine that was hacking like a sawmill. All we could see of her between her blanket and straps and buckles was her little pacifier going up and down rythmically. the test ended after about 20 minutes of numerous series of deafening clanks.

Ima and Ella were able to stay a third day in the maternity ward. The ultrasound was done on Ella and Dr. Volpe (world reknowned neo-natal neurology specialist from Children’s Hospital) went over the films. It took him quite awhile….. A neurologist came in to give us a summary of Dr. Volpe’s findings. Abnormalities of the brain were suspected. An MRI and EEG are required. Dr. Martin, the ward pediatrician, came in to check on things. She gave contact information and a diagnosis: hemi-megalencephaly.

The stay in the hospital was comforting, The nursury took care of Ella and brought her over for feedings, they were very attentive and nice. The pediatrician came in today and informed us that after a closer examination, she suspects the swelling of the right cheek isn’t just that, a swelling but it might be a condition she called hemihypertrophy, where a part of the body grows more than its symetrical counterpart. The indication she said was that the right ear was also enlarged. This sounded very scary. She said she would like to conduct some more tests to see if the condition is confined to the cheek and ear. She suggested an ultrasound of Ella’s head and spine and wanted to call in the head of Neurology to examine Ella. More scary.

Ella’s head finaly slid through the birth canal and popped out. It was a difficult delivery for Ema (Mom) with much pushing, panting and pain. Ella’s head just wouldn’t come down. Finally she came out and Ema, Aba (Dad) and Gaul were estatic.

The nurses informed us that her right cheek was swollen from the birth. Not to worry. After getting cleaned up and spending some time in Ema & Aba’s arms, Ella was whisked away to the nursery.