Buddy--Answers to Prayer

April 18, 2014

Yesterday we took Buddy to the specialist. After looking at the x-ray we brought with us the PA said that the bones weren’t fused. She agreed that the shape of his head was odd and suggested that it was due to him sleeping on his back and shifting the bones requiring his brain to grow out the other way—I thought this was a dumb explanation as I know how he sleeps and he does not sleep with his head at the angle required for such a possibility. To be on the safe side in case there was a different reason she said she wanted him to have a CT Scan. A while later a nurse returned to the exam room where we were waiting to say that there weren’t any open slots in CT but that they would work us in. The PA had earlier indicated that it would be best if Buddy slept for it as he was super active. If he wouldn’t sleep or hold still we would have to return another day to have him sedated.

We got upstairs and checked him in about a quarter to 1. Though he was very tired by this time we weren’t sure he would allow himself to sleep. He looked around a lot for a while before finally laying his head on my shoulder and falling asleep. Hubby checked with the desk to see if they had any idea how long it would be as he had fallen asleep. They weren’t sure but said that we should just let him sleep.  About 2 minutes later they called his name. We walked out the waiting room door and around a long half-circle hallway to the room for the scan. He stayed asleep. They had me lay him down on the machine and then they wrapped his arms and weighted them down. He stayed asleep. His head was turned to the side so they carefully adjusted it using the sheet and some small pieces of foam. He stayed asleep. Hubby and I left the room. About 2 minutes later they called us back in to get Buddy as they were done with the scan—imagine if they had had to sedate him for that??. I picked him up and followed the tech out the door and down the hall. A minute later we passed an open door where a baby was crying. Buddy woke up!! He looked around like he was asking why he wasn’t still asleep. We returned downstairs to the neurosurgery clinic waiting area for a while before being called back to another exam room and waiting there for almost an hour. Buddy didn’t sleep again until after we left the hospital. My Hubby later told me that he had been praying Buddy would sleep so that the scan could be done. He had slept just long enough for them to get the scans that they needed!! J

While we were waiting we fed Buddy and tried to keep him entertained. There were several times throughout the day that we had him giggling and laughing so hard! It was so wonderful to hear him laugh! At one point Hubby took out his ipod touch and took a video of Buddy. Then he showed Buddy the video. Buddy thought it was really neat. When he started the video Hubby told Buddy to smile for Daddy, so every time the video was played Buddy would turn and smile at Daddy at that part! J

Eventually the PA came back and reviewed the CT scan with us. The CT confirmed that the bones weren’t fused; she said that that “is not the concern” and went on to show us that Buddy’s brain and all the fluid is good. So, that means that he doesn’t have a tumor or anything like that—the only other thing we knew of that would cause his head to be malformed. I hadn’t really thought too much about this possibility, but Hubby had been praying and trying not to worry about this. She said that she wanted one of the surgeons to review her findings and she would be back.

She returned with the Head of the Pediatric Surgery Department—Dr. M. He introduced himself and then asked a few questions about my pregnancy with Buddy. We told him that Buddy had been transverse for a while. He then asked me some questions about my medical history and asked to see a picture of Princess. Then he went over the CT with us and told us what had probably concerned the radiologist here about Buddy’s initial x-rays. In addition to the shape of Buddy’s head being slightly off, his eye sockets aren’t completely round. They are slightly up tilted at the outside corners. Also, the bridge of his nose is flat. Dr. M called this a saddle bridge. He said that the flattened bridge pushed his forehead into more prominence and changed the shape of his head. He believed that it was caused by Buddy being transverse, most likely with his face tilted up and pressed into my side (we don’t know his exact position as my Dr. didn’t do an ultrasound during that time.), combined with the fact that I have hypothyroidism. He said that this can also cause a saddle bridge. Apparently, being on too much, or not enough, or not any, medication when you need it, can cause this condition. There isn’t anything I could have done or not done to cause this it just happens and they don’t know why. (Princess doesn’t have it.)

Dr. M said that he diagnosed the cause by looking at me. He said that he always likes to meet the patient and parents because just looking at films doesn’t tell him the whole story. We wonder a bit what we would have been told if he hadn’t come to talk to us, but aren’t dwelling on it. He told us that the tipoff for him was my face. I have a bit of facial hair that I try to keep removed but sometimes forget. That morning as we pulled out of the drive I remembered that I hadn’t taken care of it. Hubby told me not to worry about it that it wasn’t that noticeable. IF I had taken care of it, Dr. M might have still noticed but who knows?? Anyway, it helped to figure things out. J

We are looking into a couple things related to my hypothyroidism just to be on the safe side, but it sounds like if Dr. M is correct, then we don’t need to do anything and Buddy will be just fine!! J This is such a huge relief and answer to prayer. We prayed for correct and clear information—we believe we have it. We prayed for peace and joy—we have it.

When we got home my mother-in-law shared that she had been praying some verses for us that had been special to her back when my Hubby was a baby and had almost died. She said that all her prayers for Buddy and us had been answered. Here are the verses:

Psalm 34

King James Version (KJV)

⁴ I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. ¹⁹ Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. ²² The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.