Tau Zero
08-18-2005, 11:58 PM
Thanks again for all of your thoughts and prayers while Emma was in the hospital at Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City, Utah earlier this week. Management changes at the Ronald McDonald House made our stay more enjoyable than on previous visits, with community groups fixing meals for the residents each weeknight. (Okay, our bed was missing the box spring, but aside from that...)
Monday's surgery to replace the shunt at the base of Emma's skull went fairly well. It turns out that the plastic tube which drains the excess cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) which her brain produces into her abdomen had broken and slid down its "tunnel" underneath Emma's skin, into her abdominal cavity. This basically was the same thing that happened last time Emma had surgery to replace this shunt in June 2003 (except her shunt wasn't broken this time around). So she had 2 disconnected tubes in her belly, which a general surgeon removed after sticking a needle into her belly button and inflating her abdomen so he could see where he was working with an endoscope (read "miniature camera").
Emma's neurosurgeon tried an alternative way of installing a replacement shunt closer to the top of her head using some computer-aided scanning equipment, but that didn't work out. His compromise measure was to remove Emma's malfunctioning shunt, and replace it with the same kind, except rotating it 180 degrees, so that the drainage tube connected to the shunt on top (away from her neck, which is fairly mobile). The neurosurgeon said changing where the shunt connects should mean it will last longer, and that could translate fewer surgeries for Emma.
However, the surgery took about 3 hours, due to having to implement "Plan B." That's the longest Emma's ever had to be "under" anesthesia, and we noticed it took her several hours longer to recover than after previous surgeries. Emma wanted to eat, but had a hard time keeping her food down. After throwing up 4 consecutive meals in a row, she finally managed to keep Wednesday's lunch "under control," and had a good bowel movement (with the help of an enema). Then the nurse practitioner let us bring Emma home yesterday afternoon.
Kathryn, Colette, and Emma spent today recuperating at home, while I dragged my tired carcass back to the TV newsroom. Earlier tonight, we took the girls to school to meet their teachers, and it's our goal to have Emma ready to go to school when it starts on Monday. (She kept wanting to show everybody her stitches. ;-D ) So we'll see how that works out.
And so things seem to be drifting back to normal at the Goemmer household. And as my pastor put it, while Emma's situation was urgent, it was nice that we didn't have an emergency, for a change. (Doctor: "Well, she needs surgery, and today's Thursday, but the operating room schedule is full. Can you bring her back Monday?" Kathryn and I: "Heck, yeah!")
So thanks again for your concern and support. We made it -- again!
Cheers,
--Jay, Kathryn, Colette, and Emma Goemmer
Monday's surgery to replace the shunt at the base of Emma's skull went fairly well. It turns out that the plastic tube which drains the excess cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) which her brain produces into her abdomen had broken and slid down its "tunnel" underneath Emma's skin, into her abdominal cavity. This basically was the same thing that happened last time Emma had surgery to replace this shunt in June 2003 (except her shunt wasn't broken this time around). So she had 2 disconnected tubes in her belly, which a general surgeon removed after sticking a needle into her belly button and inflating her abdomen so he could see where he was working with an endoscope (read "miniature camera").
Emma's neurosurgeon tried an alternative way of installing a replacement shunt closer to the top of her head using some computer-aided scanning equipment, but that didn't work out. His compromise measure was to remove Emma's malfunctioning shunt, and replace it with the same kind, except rotating it 180 degrees, so that the drainage tube connected to the shunt on top (away from her neck, which is fairly mobile). The neurosurgeon said changing where the shunt connects should mean it will last longer, and that could translate fewer surgeries for Emma.
However, the surgery took about 3 hours, due to having to implement "Plan B." That's the longest Emma's ever had to be "under" anesthesia, and we noticed it took her several hours longer to recover than after previous surgeries. Emma wanted to eat, but had a hard time keeping her food down. After throwing up 4 consecutive meals in a row, she finally managed to keep Wednesday's lunch "under control," and had a good bowel movement (with the help of an enema). Then the nurse practitioner let us bring Emma home yesterday afternoon.
Kathryn, Colette, and Emma spent today recuperating at home, while I dragged my tired carcass back to the TV newsroom. Earlier tonight, we took the girls to school to meet their teachers, and it's our goal to have Emma ready to go to school when it starts on Monday. (She kept wanting to show everybody her stitches. ;-D ) So we'll see how that works out.
And so things seem to be drifting back to normal at the Goemmer household. And as my pastor put it, while Emma's situation was urgent, it was nice that we didn't have an emergency, for a change. (Doctor: "Well, she needs surgery, and today's Thursday, but the operating room schedule is full. Can you bring her back Monday?" Kathryn and I: "Heck, yeah!")
So thanks again for your concern and support. We made it -- again!
Cheers,
--Jay, Kathryn, Colette, and Emma Goemmer