It is now 2 days before Max’s actual due date and for all intents and purposes he is now a ‘term’ baby. His current weight is 2.8 kgs (6 lbs 5oz) – which is a respectable weight for a newborn! Grandpa is clearly impressed!
We got verbal MRI scan results on Friday from the doctor. As far as the fluid levels are concerned, they cannot see what caused the increase and therefore we really know no more than we did before. The situation will have to be closely monitored. Three things could happen: the brain size could catch up with the fluid levels, the fluid levels could remain abnormally large but not increase the pressure on the brain, the fluid levels could increase and put more pressure on the brain causing severe brain damage. Only time will tell, however the growth of the fluid levels seems to have stabilised in the last week.
The other thing that the MRI showed is that there has been moderate to severe damage to the brain as a result of his two “episodes” in the first week of his life. Again what this will actually mean only time will tell.
J and I were aware that this was highly likely but where J was probably more realistic I, certainly, let myself believe the result would be better. Although the news is obviously not good this does not change the fact that Max is our beautiful little boy. The way we choose to look at it is that after an incredibly difficult start in life, we are very lucky to have the little chap at all. Knowing that Max has brain damage and defining him by it are two very different things and as we really have no idea how this will affect him either now or in the future it is pointless to dwell on it.
Max moved back into a normal cot last night and they are planning to move him into the High Dependency Nursery when the next admission to the ICU occurs.
I probably won’t write another update until after the videofluoroscopy which is due next Thursday (3rd April) unless anything significant happens in the meantime.