craniomommynbaby
03-06-2007, 02:15 PM
Simon had another follow-up with his surgeons yesterday. He still has 2 soft spots, one by each temple. He also has a scalp cyst above his right ear.
At this point, the soft spots are not going to close. They are smaller than a quarter, and the ns indicated that they are not a cause for too much concern. Cosmetically, he is fine.
I asked about safety. There is a minimal risk that something could hit him just right, but the ns brought up that he has not experienced such an injury with a patient. Contact sports such as football or boxing would be off limits. (I plan to steer him away from that sort of thing anyhow.) Ultimately, it is up to us whether we want to have surgery to fill them in. The incision would be in about the same place as the old one. They would take bone chips off his skull and then use absorbable plates to hold the chips in place until they grow together. While in, they would also remove the scalp cyst. He would go home the next day. Keeping him home and out of trouble for a few weeks would be the biggest challenge. We are exhausted chasing him now; can we do it while he has staples in his head?
When I type this, it seems like such a minor thing. Yet, I feel so overwhelmed. This is upsetting me more than his original surgery in some ways. The first surgery was a given; this surgery is not. Yet, we have to live with whatever our decision brings. Considering that our son is such a daredevil and falls on his head for fun, I am terrified to think that we might become that rare statistic if we leave the defects alone. Yet, the thought of surgery terrifies me too. I am upset that we cannot truly put this behind us for now. If we don't do the surgery, I will forever worry. I have my own past with helmets and such during P.E., so maybe I am just blowing it all out of proportion because of my experiences.
Ultimately, I do not want him to have too many limitations or get hurt. Please give me an honest opinion. What would you do? Remember, he is fine cosmetically. The surgery would be more for long-term peace of mind.
At this point, the soft spots are not going to close. They are smaller than a quarter, and the ns indicated that they are not a cause for too much concern. Cosmetically, he is fine.
I asked about safety. There is a minimal risk that something could hit him just right, but the ns brought up that he has not experienced such an injury with a patient. Contact sports such as football or boxing would be off limits. (I plan to steer him away from that sort of thing anyhow.) Ultimately, it is up to us whether we want to have surgery to fill them in. The incision would be in about the same place as the old one. They would take bone chips off his skull and then use absorbable plates to hold the chips in place until they grow together. While in, they would also remove the scalp cyst. He would go home the next day. Keeping him home and out of trouble for a few weeks would be the biggest challenge. We are exhausted chasing him now; can we do it while he has staples in his head?
When I type this, it seems like such a minor thing. Yet, I feel so overwhelmed. This is upsetting me more than his original surgery in some ways. The first surgery was a given; this surgery is not. Yet, we have to live with whatever our decision brings. Considering that our son is such a daredevil and falls on his head for fun, I am terrified to think that we might become that rare statistic if we leave the defects alone. Yet, the thought of surgery terrifies me too. I am upset that we cannot truly put this behind us for now. If we don't do the surgery, I will forever worry. I have my own past with helmets and such during P.E., so maybe I am just blowing it all out of proportion because of my experiences.
Ultimately, I do not want him to have too many limitations or get hurt. Please give me an honest opinion. What would you do? Remember, he is fine cosmetically. The surgery would be more for long-term peace of mind.