Surgery #4

Lucy has been back in surgery for about 1 1/2 hours.  They just called and said she would be at least another hour.  Apparently when putting in the shunt for the first time it takes a lot of planning.  Her ventricles are also very small right now since she is leaking and not retaining CSF so the prodecure is a little more tricky.

She went down for her MRI this morning around 7:30.  It lasted for almost 2 hours and then they had to bring her back up to the room as they waited on an Operating Room to open up.  She screamed from the time she woke up to the time they put her back to sleep over an hour later.  About 15 minutes prior to surgery she went into total meltdown and pitched the biggest, ugliest, most deserved fit I have ever seen.  Kicking, screaming, hitting.  It was awful.  I was crying and Erik was about to punch a hole in the wall. 

This really is too much for a 5 year old to endure.  She is so strong and so brave though.  She is just tired of being here and by now she know the whole routine. And she is all too familiar with the walls of the operation room holding area.  I literally pray and beg that this is the last time she will have to have surgery for a long, long time. 

We knew all along that a shunt was probably inevitable, so now we just pray that it is successful and there are no infections once radiation starts.  Please make this a prayer of your as well.  Today we feel surrounded by the thousands of prayers being said on her behalf.  Thank you all so much!