I (Cindy's mom) just got off the phone with Cindy and I'll try to write what she told me. She is scheduled for surgery this afternoon at 2:30 but they are running a little late. She has been having tests, x-rays and visited with the dr this morning. With the one blood test they run which is a very sensitive test, they did find a low grade infection. As Cindy has stated before the pain moves around in her abdomen. When they did an x-ray last week and again this morning, they asked her both times where her pain was and it was exactly where the end of her shunt tube was which also told them there was an infection in her shunt system. It's something the dr has seen many times and is very familiar with. They will do more testing and see just what she needs for anitbiotics and she will be on that for a minimum of 8 weeks.
Without the shunt, the headache will be back. She can get a spinal tap when needed to drain fluid to relieve some of the pain. She can probably come home and take the oral medication here.
The neurosurgeon she visited with this morning also brought up the possibility of what is called a venus stent which could take the place of the shunt, but didn't know if she would be a very good candidate for this. They have only done 15 of these but 14 of the 15 have worked. They are going to do an MRI to see if the vein in her neck would work for this. Let's hope and pray this will and she could get rid of the shunts. If this is a possibility,this procedure would also have to wait until the infection is gone.
Cindy will be in alot of pain for the next weeks but has 100% confidence in the drs there and is ready to deal with the pain again. The surgery isn't a major one which always helps and she will lose her hair again which to her just isn't a big deal. They will put titanium plates over the holes in her skull for now and if she needs the shunt again they can be removed. They do need to take the tubes out of her ventricles, but the dr is confident he can put those back in also.
Thanks to all for all your concerns and prayers,
Kathy
4 comments:
Kathy,
Thank you so much for the update! I've been praying all day for her. I'm so glad that she has such confidence in the doctors there. What a blessing. We have more specific things to pray for because of your update. We really feel for Cindy as she has to go through this head ache pain again. I was glad to read that she is ready to go through with this and face the pain. It does make everyone feel better if she has confidence that this is the right step to take. That would surely be wonderful if she would be a candidate for the venus stent. We will pray for that too. Your whole family is in our prayers. Let us know what we can do to help.
Mary
Thanks for the update, Kathy. I have been praying for Cindy (and Kyle) today and was glad to know a little more what was going on and how to pray. I will keep praying! By the way, congratulations on that new grandson! What a nice surprise!
Twila
Praying for all of you. May the Dr's receive knowlegde from above and you can be confident that the Lord will guide their hands and be with you. God bless and Praying
Jim & Marj
Praying. I just don't know what else to say, so we are praying.
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