The Pediatric Surgeon

This morning I had another ultrasound to check on Baby's growth and progress, and I tell ya, he is growing more and more handsome each time I see him.

Baby's face.

Look at those chubby cheeks!

Once again, the umbilical cord covered his face, but you can still see his little grin.

Oh, how could you not just fall in love with him?

Baby now weighs 3 lb. 4 oz, which is right about where he should be. The doctor was very positive and glad to report "no surprises" during the ultrasound, which translates as good news.

We then met with the pediatric surgeon at the hospital, which I have been anxiously awaiting. I've been eager to learn more about the surgery and the process that leads up to it. The doctor was incredibly encouraging and very patient as he explained what we can expect. He said that omphaloceles can be quite serious because of other health conditions and physical deformities that typically accompany them; however, the good news for us is the remarkable health of our baby. So at this point, the omphalocele is more of a physical nuisance rather than a serious health concern.

There's much we won't know until the baby is born, but the doctor talked us through three possible scenarios to consider. First, is the best case scenario in which the baby's condition allows him to have the hole repaired surgically about a week after he's born, after everything, including the liver, is gradually placed back in position. This is possible, but not necessarily likely due to the severity of the omphalacele. The second scenario is if there isn't enough muscle to close the hole, they could surgically implant a patch to cover the hole and then sew him up. This would take more time, but still, could hopefully be done within a month of the baby's birth. The third possible scenario is to use a multi-step patch system in which they gradually close up the hole through a series of surgeries. This could take up to a year, but that's the worst case scenario, and hopefully won't be necessary.

Ok, that was a lot of information, so thanks for hanging in there with me. To boil it down, while the process can be trying, we have every reason to believe and hope for a perfectly healthy baby boy post-surgery. The only reminder of this experience for him will be that rather than having a belly button, he'll have a scar running across his abdomen. All in all, a very promising prognosis.

Tomorrow, I will see Dr. Luce, my OBGYN, for my weekly appointment, and then Monday I'll be meeting with the neonatologist at the Children's Hospital, so I'll keep you updated on those visits as well. Thanks again for reading, for praying, and for loving us as you do.

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...And a Happy St. Patrick's Day to you all. Hope you all enjoyed your big, sugary bowl of Lucky Charms this morning!