Ethan had an appointment with Ophthalmology at Children's on Monday (8/23/10). This was essentially the pre-op visit. They determined the dermoid was highly elevated (e.g. sticking out as opposed to flush/flat to the eyeball) and if it is changing/growing, it is growing outward and not inward. This is very welcome news as it means it can simply be shaved off and it most likely will not be too deep - though this will not be known for certain until surgery day when the doctor begins the procedure.
The surgery date has not yet been finalized. We should hear back within a week. It will most likely be in October but we were told there is an outside chance it might even happen in September.
As far as Ophthalmology is concerned, it is a simple procedure and can be done on an outpatient basis. However, since Ethan has had a history of issues regarding intubation, the anesthesiologist may want to keep him overnight for observation as a precaution. In other words, whether or not Ethan comes home the same day or not is up to Anesthesia and not Ophthalmology.
The procedure itself most likely will only take 30 minutes but they said when you also factor in the time to get Ethan sedated, get the IV's in him, etc. - it will most likely be an hour to hour and a half.
We also met with Nutrition and if Ethan continues with his current feeding pattern, we may be able to get the G-Tube removed by October.
An interesting factoid from the "Huh? Umm, OK..." Dept.: the surgical schedule for Ophthalmology at Seattle Children's is handled/maintained by Urology. Right. Go figure...
- bob
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Happy First Birthday Ethan!
Looking back on this past year, I can hardly believe how much I have learned and how far we have come. Let me review:
~I went into labor a week before a scheduled c-section
~A surprise at birth when we learned that Ethan had Craniofacial Microsomia.
~A 15 day NICU stay at Evergreen Hospital.
~Including the NICU stay, 5 hospital stays including 2 surgeries at Children's Hospital.
~Countless sleepless nights.
~Wonderful medicial professionals including Pediatricians, General Surgeon, Opthomology, Ear Nose and Throat, Gastroenterologist, Plastic Surgeon, Neonatologists, Nurses, Feeding Therapist, Nutritionist, Dentist, and Hospital Social Workers at both Evergreen and Children's Hospital who were and are absolute God sent.
~Many family and friends who have prayed for Ethan and taken care of us.
I can't thank everyone enough who has supported and loved us this year. We could not have gotten through this year without this support and Bob and I are truly blessed and greatful. God certainly has had his arms around us over the last year.
Because of all that he has been through, we know that Ethan is a little fighter and we are so proud of him.
I always said I didn't want to spend a lot of money on a birthday party until the boys were old enough to appreciate it, however, I really felt like we should do a big celebration for Ethan's first birthday this year considering all that he has been through.
On his actual birthday, August 14, we had a pool party at the Mountlake Terrace Pool. This was Ethan's first time in a big pool. He wasn't really sure what to think, but was having fun looking at all the other kids in the pool with him. This party consisted of new mommy friends from Evergreen's parent baby group, family, an old friend of Bob's and his family, and friends from church and soccer. There were about 35 to 40 that showed up. After that, we had a big Chinese dinner with family thrown by Bob's parents.
~I went into labor a week before a scheduled c-section
~A surprise at birth when we learned that Ethan had Craniofacial Microsomia.
~A 15 day NICU stay at Evergreen Hospital.
~Including the NICU stay, 5 hospital stays including 2 surgeries at Children's Hospital.
~Countless sleepless nights.
~Wonderful medicial professionals including Pediatricians, General Surgeon, Opthomology, Ear Nose and Throat, Gastroenterologist, Plastic Surgeon, Neonatologists, Nurses, Feeding Therapist, Nutritionist, Dentist, and Hospital Social Workers at both Evergreen and Children's Hospital who were and are absolute God sent.
~Many family and friends who have prayed for Ethan and taken care of us.
I can't thank everyone enough who has supported and loved us this year. We could not have gotten through this year without this support and Bob and I are truly blessed and greatful. God certainly has had his arms around us over the last year.
Because of all that he has been through, we know that Ethan is a little fighter and we are so proud of him.
I always said I didn't want to spend a lot of money on a birthday party until the boys were old enough to appreciate it, however, I really felt like we should do a big celebration for Ethan's first birthday this year considering all that he has been through.
On his actual birthday, August 14, we had a pool party at the Mountlake Terrace Pool. This was Ethan's first time in a big pool. He wasn't really sure what to think, but was having fun looking at all the other kids in the pool with him. This party consisted of new mommy friends from Evergreen's parent baby group, family, an old friend of Bob's and his family, and friends from church and soccer. There were about 35 to 40 that showed up. After that, we had a big Chinese dinner with family thrown by Bob's parents.
At the Mountlake Terrace Pool. My friend Anna and her husband took some of these pics.
Ethan and Liliana.
Jessica and Nathaniel.
Ethan and Mommy with Jared and Liliana and Bryn and Riley.
My first time in the pool.
Playing with Jonathan and Daddy.
Family Picture.
Cousin Amanda with Uncle Ryan.
The Costco Cake.
My birthday outfit.On Sunday, Mom hosted a birthday party of Ethan at her house. Almost everyone on both sides of the family was able to make it, including Bob's parents, his sister, and her husband. It turned out to be a very nice and sunny day, so people were able to sit outside, eat and visit with each other. I ordered red velvet cupcakes from a friend at church who has a business making cupcakes and Ethan had his first experience eating one of those cupcakes. He was pretty unsure and careful about touching it, which really surprised us considering he usually is pretty rough and tumble with everything. Ethan also didn't seem too interested in opening presents. I would rip a little piece of the wrapping paper off and put it in front of him and he occasionally would reach out and continue ripping, but most often than not, he would look away and find something else to do. As a result, Jonathan got to open most of Ethan's presents, which he loved. Then he would ask Ethan if he could play with his toys. Ethan also spent a good chunk of time sleeping. All in all the party was great. Thank you Grandma for hosting and putting it on for him!
Sleeping during my party.
Red velvet cupcakes. Yummy!
Opening Presents.
Cupcake eating! My first one.Overall, it was a great and exhausting weekend of parties. We had a lot of fun. I wouldn't trade it for the world and I am looking forward to watching Ethan grow. He is doing so well now and has made so much progress.
We love you Ethan!
-Dina
Happy Birthday Ethan!
Every day we're standing in a time capsule
Racing down a river from the past
Every day we're standing in a wind tunnel
Facing down the future coming fast
- Rush: Turn The Page (Hold Your Fire, 1987)
Ethan's first birthday was Saturday, 8/14/10.
It's hard to believe a year has gone by. Ethan (and all of us) has gone through so much and has come so far in just the last 12 months. This progress would not have been possible (or at least so much more difficult to achieve) were it not for the literally countless people that helped us along the way. There are so many people that have made this happen that I will not even try to name everyone for fear of inadvertently leaving someone out. But you all know who you are - from our parents for their love and support (and babysitting!) to family and friends for your time, support, love, prayers, and babysitting, the countless doctors, nurses, hospital support staff that have worked on/with Ethan, and people at work that were so supportive and giving me the time and flexibility I needed to go to various appointments. Big thank-yous go around the world!
Ethan's birthday was celebrated with first a pool party at the Montlake Terrace pool. Dina has been attending a parent/baby class and the other parents/children (classmates of Ethan) and they were the primary invitees of this gig. This was then followed by a dinner hosted by my parents at a Chinese restaurant for just immediate family (i.e. our parents, siblings, and children). Then on Sunday, there was a family dinner for extended family hosted by Dina's mom.
An amusing anecdote from this weekend: one of Ethan's presents was a pair of Hotwheels cars that Jonathan was enamored with. We told him he could play with them, but they were Ethan's - not his. Later that day, when he was looking for the cars, he said, "Where's my Ethan's cars?". :-)
- bob
Racing down a river from the past
Every day we're standing in a wind tunnel
Facing down the future coming fast
- Rush: Turn The Page (Hold Your Fire, 1987)
Ethan's first birthday was Saturday, 8/14/10.
It's hard to believe a year has gone by. Ethan (and all of us) has gone through so much and has come so far in just the last 12 months. This progress would not have been possible (or at least so much more difficult to achieve) were it not for the literally countless people that helped us along the way. There are so many people that have made this happen that I will not even try to name everyone for fear of inadvertently leaving someone out. But you all know who you are - from our parents for their love and support (and babysitting!) to family and friends for your time, support, love, prayers, and babysitting, the countless doctors, nurses, hospital support staff that have worked on/with Ethan, and people at work that were so supportive and giving me the time and flexibility I needed to go to various appointments. Big thank-yous go around the world!
Ethan's birthday was celebrated with first a pool party at the Montlake Terrace pool. Dina has been attending a parent/baby class and the other parents/children (classmates of Ethan) and they were the primary invitees of this gig. This was then followed by a dinner hosted by my parents at a Chinese restaurant for just immediate family (i.e. our parents, siblings, and children). Then on Sunday, there was a family dinner for extended family hosted by Dina's mom.
An amusing anecdote from this weekend: one of Ethan's presents was a pair of Hotwheels cars that Jonathan was enamored with. We told him he could play with them, but they were Ethan's - not his. Later that day, when he was looking for the cars, he said, "Where's my Ethan's cars?". :-)
- bob
Sunday, August 8, 2010
An Evening With Rush
Rush. Time Machine Tour 2010. Front row, Alex side. No - you don't want to know how much the tickets cost. Yes - it was incredible. Yes - I took these from the front row. Did I mention it was incredible? For anyone interested in vital statistics: 9th time seeing Rush (and counting!), 3rd time front row (and counting!).
- bob
- bob
Monday, August 2, 2010
Hearing Test Redux
Ethan had his second scheduled hearing test to day at Children's. The results were very encouraging. Ethan, as of this point, has no fluid in his ears and demonstrated he is capable of hearing all the different speech sounds. The implication is that there is minimal to no risk of any speech development problems due to an inability to hear properly. Moreover, it appears that the ear tubes we thought were almost inevitable are, at least at this point, not needed.
By the nature of the test itself, they could not determine if one ear had any hearing loss or not. A more specific (and different type of) test would be needed to determine that. What this test *did* demonstrate is that Ethan has no hearing loss at all in at least one ear.
Yet more welcome and positive news!
- bob
By the nature of the test itself, they could not determine if one ear had any hearing loss or not. A more specific (and different type of) test would be needed to determine that. What this test *did* demonstrate is that Ethan has no hearing loss at all in at least one ear.
Yet more welcome and positive news!
- bob
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