Gribbit Is Back!
Some of you may have been wondering what happened to Mrs. Gribbit and me during the past couple of months as I suddenly disappeared off the radar (so to speak). The answer is a shift in our priorities.
You all know by now that we are expecting a child. Mrs. Gribbit is now 32 weeks into her pregnancy. Approximately 14 weeks ago we found out through a blood screen that she had an abnormal protein level in her blood. This abnormality indicated a possibility that our child COULD have a birth defect called Spina Bifida. This was confirmed as being so at 21 weeks through ultrasound.
Our baby has a lesion on her back where the neural tube (which develops within 12 days of conception) failed to close around the spinal cord. The lesion begins at the L2 vertebrae, which indicates potential damage below that point. The extent of the damage to her spinal cord will not be known until after she is born in approximately 6-8 weeks.
This news prompted us to make a decision to relocate to another town north of Dayton . Mrs. Gribbit’s family is located in another town just to the west of our new home and our decision was one reached out of her need to be near her parents for support as we struggle with the challenges we will be facing as our daughter grows.
Consequently, the decision was made that blogging and the internet were luxuries that had to be sacrificed until after our relocation; a process which has now happened. We are not completely moved, but the major work is done and we are again in a position to afford us the ability to be involved.
The next step for us is our Daughter’s delivery in late August via C-section at University Hospital in Cincinnati (we hope). The surgery to close her neural tube and the lesion will take place within 48 hours of delivery at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital by a Neurosurgeon (we’re sure). If needed at that time, a shunt will be implanted to drain spinal fluid from the ventricles in her brain due to Hydrocephalus which is a result of Chiari Malformation. This is where the cerebellum sits too low on the spinal column. So far, there is no indication that any fluids have begun to accumulate and let us pray that none do as it can lead to cognitive problems for our daughter in her future. She will remain in Cincinnati Children’s for 10 days to 2 weeks for recovery.
This was originally written over a week ago and we’ve since had some bad news. There is now evidence of substantial hydrocephalus. Also, her head and tummy measurements are about 2 weeks behind which has raised some other questions. She is scheduled for an Amnio on Monday. More info about that as soon as we know.
Barring any additional complications or defects discovered by the Amnio or worsening of the hydrocephalus, we expect delivery on August 20th and closure surgery on the 21st. I’ll be periodically be updating this info.
We would like to thank all of you who have been praying for our developing family.
Mr. & Mrs. Gribbit
Now…
On with the show…
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