Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Cause for celebration (63 days)

Bryce's long-term followers may recall that about a week after birth, Bryce was diagnosed with a moderate (grade 2) intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) on the left side of his brain. Christie and I were extremely concerned, because we knew that this condition had the potential to damage Bryce's brain in several different ways. Fortunately, subsequent examinations at week two and three showed that Bryce's hemorrhage was not getting any worse, and actually seemed to be resolving. So, the doctor told us that they would follow-up at some later date to check for potential complications caused by IVH.

As it turns out, that later date was yesterday, and we could not have asked for a better outcome. The examination showed no trace of the prior hemorrhage nor any evidence of the scary conditions commonly associated with IVH: hydrocephalus (i.e., enlargement of the ventricles) and periventricular leukomalacia . Better yet, the examiner found no signs of any congenital brain malformation, so Bryce is still on track for his Ivy League education. The word "thankful" seems insufficient to describe how Mommy and Daddy felt about this very welcome news. Print this post

1 comment: