Decision Time

Here's Gianna last week before her ophthalmologist appointment. 
(I think she's pretty pleased with her new big bow!)

We've been doing our homework - talking to everyone we felt could give us more information about the eye surgery decision we've been wavering on.  We've talked to anesthesiologists, a visually impaired preschool services representative, and other parents who have had children who have gone through the surgery.  Even with months of the glasses and patching, G's eyes are still quite crossed, and her ophthalmologist feels surgery is needed both to help straighten them and help with her visual processing.  We've learned how impaired vision affects so many areas of life - for example, since Gianna has trouble seeing and focusing with both eyes, she may not see things at a distance that would encourage her to crawl and get them.  What ultimately helped with our decision was talking with a friend who has a son with Cerebral Palsy.  He had the same surgery successfully several years ago.  She explained it like this - "Our kids have many struggles in life - Gianna has to struggle to balance, struggle to move, struggle to swallow, struggle to see.  This surgery is something that can help take away one of her struggles."  Well said.....decision made.....she's scheduled to have the eye surgery the week after her first birthday.