We continued to pump Carly's shunt regularly to keep it flowing, but a few days ago the reservoir stopped refilling meaning there was a complete blockage. Carly had not been feeling very good for several weeks so we knew a surgery was not far off, and today was the day. Carly headed back to the OR at 10am today for her 25th shunt revision. Dr. Gupta replaced all of the shunt components and he said that there was an obvious clog in the ventricular catheter. He said that the other components did not look quite as bad as they typically do which could mean that things are improving.
The protein levels are still high, at 660 when 50 is normal, but they have been stable or coming down a little and it is a long way from 1700 where it was at one point. There is a cell type that is an indicator of inflammation and this has dropped from 20% of the total to 1%. This is a major improvement and hopefully an indicator that the problem that has caused inflammation and high protein may be starting to resolve. Only time will tell, but it is all that we want for Christmas. Speaking of Christmas, it only seems fitting that shunt 25 falls on this week. The Christmas shunt of 2011 will hopefully be what Carly needs to get back to her smiling self for a Happy New Year.
Love, Brad
5 comments:
That is all I want for christmas - for carly's 25th shunt to be the one that works for a long, long time!!
Our Colts finally won a football game this year, so now it is Carly's turn to have a looooooong-lasting shunt.
Welcome Kempton Tyler Nelson!
Greg and Gail
It sounds like this is all shaping up to turn out to be the best for our little superhero.
Car-ly! Car-ly! Car-ly!
the decreasing protein levels and drop in the bad cells is great news!
Jen L.
hope that Carly's recovery from the latest shunt revision is going well, that you are able to enjoy the holidays and that sweet lil' C is back to smiling by New Years.
Sending you all lots of Christmas love!,
keith, sheila & dylan
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