Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Update on Marilyn

Marilyn was seen at Riley Hospital for Children on October 23. There she underwent an exam under anesthesia to allow the Pediatric Ophthalmologists to examine her eyes more thoroughly. During the exam, they concluded that her optic nerves were both healthy, and the pressures were normal in both eyes. They scheduled a second exam for four weeks later to check the pressures and for any changes. And that exam was performed today.

Today, we did not receive the good news we were hoping for. The doctors have determined that Marilyn has Congenital Glaucoma in both eyes. They had originally suspected it may be in one eye, but today's tests indicated it is present in both. This is a condition she was born with and thankfully has been diagnosed very early. The pressure in her eyes has increased and subsequently created growth in her eyes. Thankfully her optic nerves are both still healthy and have received no damage or vision loss.

She has been put on eye drops for the time being and is scheduled to have a Goniotomy performed on both eyes before the end of the year. The surgeries must be scheduled separately and require intensive follow-up care and monitoring. The doctors are hopeful this procedure will remedy the situation and if not, other measures will be taken.

We thank you all so very much for keeping our family in your thoughts and prayers. As we enter into a week of Thanksgiving, we feel blessed for so many things. To be in such close proximity to a renowned facility with world-class physicians, to be surrounded by family and friends and an outpouring of love, to be employed by those who put family first and to know that God has it all under control.

We wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving and ask you to please keep us in your prayers.



Helpful Website Info:

http://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/congenital-glaucoma

http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/goniotomy-for-glaucoma

Halloween 2007

Here is our very sleepy Sunflower. Marilyn slept through the entire Trick-or-Treat period. I sure hope she will find costume time more fun next year.



Pumpkin Fun

Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle Brett & Aunt Kate gathered at our house the Sunday before Halloween for a little pumpkin fun. While enjoying the beautiful fall day, we carved our pumpkin and thought it would be oh so cute to slide Marilyn down inside. Thankfully Hunter picked out a long and skinny one, much like our little Bear.




Things were going so well, until she started to sink down inside. (and yes we did have a plastic bag inside the pumpkin) Here is Marilyn loving some quality cuddle time with Aunt Kate.


Zoo Boo!


Whew, nearly a month since an update... you can surely tell we have been busy. So here goes.

On October 20th, we picked Marilyn up after her first overnight with Grandpa & Grandma and headed out. Our family of three joined Uncle Brett and Aunt Kate for a wonderful day at the Indianapolis Zoo. It was their Zoo Boo, and the weather could not have been more perfect. Marilyn was a bit young to enjoy the dolphin show syncronized to Halloween tunes, but I am certain she will love it soon enough.