Are We There Yet?

"No Boo-Boos, Juss Talking!"

Today was the long-awaited visit in the Spina Bifida clinic. It was also a VERY long day! Since Molly has learned that doctors' offices and hospitals can be painful, unpleasant places, she was not too happy to know we were spending the day with "dock-ers" (aka doctors). I insisted to her that she would get no boo-boos today, that the doctors just wanted to talk to Mommy and Daddy. She was skeptical.

We started at 11AM, meeting with the neurosurgeon, Dr. B. She showed us the MRI (which I had already seen) and really there was no new news. Unfortunately, Dr. B. shared the opinion of the Radiology Fellow who originally read the MRI: that the mass on Molly's spine is either a dermoid cyst or a teratoma (a congenital tumor). When I told Dr. B. that the Attending Radiologist was leaning more towards thinking it was an anterior meningocele, she disagreed. My heart sank.

Long story short, Molly has a mass on her spine, probably has a tethered spinal cord, and definitely has a sacral dimple with a tuft of hair growing out of it...which can be a sign that the dimple runs deeper than it appears, maybe all the way to the spinal cord. Those findings mean that Molly will probably be having surgery in her near future. Before that decision is made, we have been referred to the Colorectal Team regarding the mass on her spine...and honestly, I can't remember why. When Dr. B. said "colorectal," I remember thinking, "The mass is on her spine, why would Colorectal handle that?! Isn't that a Neurosurgery problem?" We also got a referral to physical therapy for a manual muscle test -- whatever that is. So, more waiting for answers. Wonderful.

After lunch, we headed to the Spina Bifida clinic where we met specialists from rehab, developmental pediatrics, and nephrology. (The orthopedics team wasn't there today for some reason.) All of them came up with the same conclusion: Molly looks amazingly normal and doesn't need to be seen by any of them except for routine annual follow-ups. In fact, the nephrologist said, based on the results of the urinary testing Molly had done, it looks like she doesn't have true spina bifida. This doctor (whose name I forget) said that Molly probably had only a sac containing spinal fluid on her back at birth with no actual spinal cord involvement.

Can you believe it?!

As Daddy carried Molly to the car after the appointment, she got a look of surprise on her face. "Mommy," she said, "no boo-boos, juss talking!" That's right, baby girl...Mommy wouldn't steer you wrong!

After the appointment, I headed to the University for my Monday evening class and Daddy took Molly home. Poor thing, she was just exhausted from our long day...
...and literally fell asleep and rolled right out of her chair! Now THAT is one sleepy girl!