Duckys' House

Summer went in to theatre this morning at 8am after a night I wished I was at home and Kathy was at the Hospital! Summer would not stay asleep for more that 1/2 hour after midnight, almost like she knew there was a tricky day ahead.

We met up with her again at about 11.30am in the recovery room where she was already waking and seemingly back to her old self!! The operation went really well, they saw the fluid flowing through the new hole they had made and were able to avoid cutting into the very important artery. We are completely astounded again at Summers ability to take these things in her stride so easily seemingly indifferent the the mammoth things happening around her.

The hole they have made allows the fluid building up to move into some extra space to provide a more area for it to be absorbed so by seeing the fluid moving around they have done all that they can. What we need to wait on now is whether Summer can absorb it quick enough.

And here's the best bit: If she can, and we should know in a few weeks (we are told a 50% to 60% chance), it is likely that this will stay working for the remainder of her life. Very few have failed to work after working initially we were told. As you can imagine this is very exciting for us, all the possibilities for her life and development, as well as our own lives change if hydrocephalus is not an issue!!

So that's what we pray for now. We asked for a miracle and maybe this is it? The ability of the Surgeons and doctors involved is amazing, not to mention, as we found out today, their sense of humour. We left a little duck toy with Summer in the cot and when we saw her an assistant anesthetist, apparently not very busy, had constructed a little house on the side of her cot, "Duckys' House". You can also see the duck has had some surgery of her own!

I'm at home tonight, surprised to be back in work tomorrow. I may even be able to pick them up from the hospital to come home tomorrow, not the 4 days we were originally advised of. Are we soon to have a sense of normal again????