Saturday, October 18, 2008

ANSWERS

Brooklyn did fine with the bronchoscopy and endoscopy yesterday. Thanks for all your prayers and good thoughts.

And yes, we now know what is wrong!

The brochoscopy showed that Brooklyn has laryngomalacia. She also has a problem with her arytenoids. The arytenoids are pieces of cartilage that attach the vocal cords to the larynx. Brooklyn's are floppy and swollen and intermittently obstruct her airway.

Usually this is a condition that doctors try to let babies outgrow. But in Brooklyn's case, she hasn't improved or started to outgrow it, and normally that would have already happened by 7 months old. So Dr. G2 said that he is going to give her 6 more weeks to try to outgrow it. If she hasn't by then, he said that there are "other procedures we will need to look at." He didn't tell us what those procedures were. He said that we would talk about that more later. David and I were fine with that...I think just because we were so glad that we finally knew what was causing our baby's problems.

I wish that my scanner was working so that I could show y'all the pictures of Brooklyn's airway. She is having to breathe through such a tiny, tiny little hole. It's no wonder she is burning so many calories that she can't grow enough.

Her endoscopy was fine. Everything was normal and while it confirmed her reflux, the reflux has not caused any damage to her esophagus or stomach. This is great news.

Both doctors took pieces of tissue from a bunch of different areas to biopsy. I'm not 100% clear on why...to check the tissues for any problems, check for allergens, and see if she is aspirating was what I gathered. There are other reasons, I'm sure, but I will ask about that at her gastroenterologist appointment next Tuesday.

Brooklyn was not a happy camper yesterday. They put her under general anesthesia and when she first came out of it, she freaked out really bad. They took me back to post-op and told me that they had just finished extubating her. She was screaming her head off. They were trying to feed her Pedialyte and glucose water and she was refusing both. They gave her to me, gave her some Fentanyl and Tylenol for pain, and she calmed right down, snuggled in and went to sleep. She stayed out for an hour or so, and during that time, they moved her to a recovery room.

After she woke up, she took 2 ounces of Pedialyte from me and then I was allowed to breastfeed her. She nursed really well. Towards the end of her feeding, Dave noticed that her IV wasn't dripping anymore. After Brooklyn finished nursing, he went to tell a nurse. By the time the nurse came to check on it, Brooklyn's IV had backed up about 2 feet and she was screaming bloody murder. They tried unsuccessfully to flush it out, and then another nurse decided just to take it out since Brooklyn had eaten. Soon after, an anesthesiologist came to assess Brooklyn. We were then given discharge instructions and allowed to leave. This was around 6:00. So we were only at the hospital a total of 6 hours, start to finish.

The whole rest of the night, Brooklyn was just not herself. If she wasn't sleeping or eating, she was screaming. She wouldn't smile or talk or coo or anything. It was obvious that she just felt like crap. I think she just felt bad from the procedures and still had all that yucky anesthesia in her system.

This morning, I have my smiley, talkative, playful baby bear back. And we have answers to many of the questions that have gone unanswered for so long. It's going to be a good day.

13 comments:

Carrie27 said...

This is such great news! I hope that she outgrows it.

In the meantime, is there anything they can do for her?

MrsSpock said...

Thank goodness everything went OK and you now have answers. I hope she outgrows it and you won't have to put her through any more procedures- the poor little pumpkin.

Hope said...

Thank God for answers! I'm glad she's back to her normal self. I know exactly what the pics you have look like. It's scary when they show those, isn't it? Give her a hug from Ava.

Cibele said...

I am so so glad that you finally have an answer. I hope that she outgrows it soon. HUGS!!!!!!!

Beth said...

Been thinking about you. So glad that you now know what is going on... that must be such a relief! I'm sorry that your little bear had such a rough day but glad to hear she's back to herself today. She'll have no memory of any of it, either. :) Hope you're able to enjoy the rest of the weekend with that adorable little girl. She looks so big in the picture! :)

Jennifer W said...

I'm so excited for you all! I bet it feels so good to have some of your concerns finally addressed. We will all be sending our postive thoughts your way over the next month!

Liz said...

awesome!!!!!! While I know you would like there to be no diagnosis at all (& no problems to require one!!!), isn't it good to finally have some answers?! Thank you, Lord!

Tori said...

I am so glad you finally know what is wrong and that she did so well in the hospital! I hope she can grow out of it by herself.

L.G. Reeves said...

Facts are always easier to deal with. Unknown's make you question and doubt. Liz and I are happy you have some answers!

Unknown said...

Thank God you have some answers! I hope that she outgrows it and that she can start eating better and gaining weight. I have been praying for you guys ever since I found your blog through my friend Sarah (http://babymakesthre.blogspot.com)

Tara @ www.twolinesonastick.com

Sarah said...

I'm sure you feel like a ton of bricks has been lifted off your chest!!! I am so glad that you got the answers to Brookly's problems and that they are fixable. The picture of her in the hospital breaks my heart...Hugs to both of you!!

Sarah

Kate said...

I am so glad that you have answers!

KAYLAPEARSON.COM said...

I dont think they out growing thing holds true our son is 11 months old and has 75%tracheomalacia 80% bronchomalacia and 30% laryngomalacia and he has not out grown it all the way yet, but if you can keep them out of the hospital and off o2 then time will make it better. How are her 02 stats. Our son has to work harder to breathe aand was not gaining any weight so they put him on pediasureinternal he has been doing good on that but he is still fed through his g tube he was born with esophageal atresia all the above and down syndrome. I t has been along road but things do get better. I would let them make to many hastey decisions wioth your baby girl i ahve a website at kaylapearson.com i would love to talk to you more .

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