Alyssa is doing better with her motor development. She is getting stronger in her legs and arms and some in her trunk area. She is sitting up straighter and for longer periods of time now. She has also started saying more than just Hi. She is saying Bubba for Easton and Puppa for Rowdy and BaBa for herself and her dolls. She still fights with her therapists. When they want her to do something is when she isn't going to do it come hell or high water. If they want her to move her hand a certain way she will snatch it back, and if they want her to do a certain sign she will look at them like they have grew a third eye and just smile. Yep, we are teaching her some baby sign language. She is doing very good with this, which surprised me a bit. She will do the sign for love you, mama, baby, more, and all done. I am working with her on drink and eat.
In other areas she loves swimming. She loves to get in the pool and will kick and splash as if she were crawling. She doesn't care if it is in her eyes or splashed on her head or even when Bubba does a cannonball. She will just laugh and keep splashing. I really think it is wonderful for her, and somewhat very theraputic.
Her shunt has continued to work, however we did have to have a revision of her tubing into her brain on May 2nd. That went pretty well. We went in on a Monday morning around 4 am. She had been showing some signs of irritability. Not really anything else. She was still eating and drinking her bottle, but she just wasn't herself. I don't know how to explain to anyone how we knew we just did. I mean there has been times we weren't sure, but this time we knew. She woke up running a fever and we headed to LeBonheur right away. After a series of shunt testing the neurosurgeon team confirmed that it was her shunt. Dr. Stephanie Einhaus did the surgery again, and as far as I am concerned is the best. She is a wonderful doctor and person. Before her surgeries she will come talk to you in the holding room and explain everything to you. Then she will ask you if you would like to pray. That is amazing, when so many people in this world might get offended at such a gesture, she still asks. Of course that means the world to us that a God-believing woman is the one trying and hopefully succeeding in saving our little girls life.
We caught the malfunction in record timing and no further damage occured. Alyssa was back to her old self again within a few days, and continues to improve daily.
This past Thursday we did take her for an MRI. The neurologist, Dr. McVicar, of the UT Medical group at LeBonheur, suggested for her to have at one year of age. So off we went. They had to sedate her. That was a little aggravating since that meant an IV. Alyssa has small veins and is really hard to get a line in, but this time the nurse that done it only took twice to get it. I complimented her highly. We still haven't gotten any results because the neurologist was out of town this week. I am to call Monday or Tuesday of next week. Pray for good results.
I want to mention a website that is trying to do a good thing for children with special needs. http://a4cwsn.com/ipads-in-50-states/ is trying to raise money for special needs children to get an ipad to help them with therapy. Also want to mention my page for donations to the hydrocephalus association. http://walk4hydro.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=477217&lis=0&kntae477217=9EB850B7D096404EA7DC52670116C5AA. Please consider donating a few dollars to this cause. There is currently no cure for hydrocephalus.
