Gianna by the Numbers

As it's both football season and Keenland thoroughbred racing season in Lexington, a lot of minds are on "the odds" this time of year.  This got me thinking about how although Gianna's only a little over 2 weeks old now, she has already been so blessed and beaten so many odds herself.  At least 100 times a day Matt and I look at Gianna, look at each other, and marvel about how lucky we are and how incredibly well Gianna is doing.  When Gianna's encephalocele was diagnosed at week 20 of my pregnancy, here are some of the few statistics that were available on her condition and prognosis:

• Encephaloceles occur in about 1 in 10,000 live births.
• Encephaloceles are a prominent cause of spontaneous miscarriages before 20 weeks.
• An encephalocele reduces the likelihood of a live birth to 21%.
• Only half of those 21% survive.
• 75% of those survivors have varying degrees of mental disabilities, the severity is higher for those who have the brain herniation on the back of the skull, as Gianna's was.

Grim, huh? We knew that odds were against her to survive or thrive.  We know that Gianna's future is uncertain and that she has an uphill road ahead of her.  But regardless of what happens next, Gianna has already come out of the gate like a 50 to 1 Triple Crown winner. 

First Days at Home

Hanging out with Dominic before her pediatrician visit

What can I say......it is wonderful having Gianna at home!!   After one day just relaxing at home with her brothers, Gianna had a few Dr. appointments.  She had her first regular pediatrician visit yesterday.  And today she went back to the neurosurgeon's office to get her stiches out from the encephalocele removal.  (Big thanks to her MiMi for helping us make it to all these appointments!!) The worst part for her was getting all the tape out of her hair from the bandage!  Her scar is pretty wide across the back of her head but it looks like it's healing well and will be eventually covered by her hair. 
Gianna is two weeks old today.  It's already hard to remember what life was like before her!


Getting stiches out.....



Brave girl




I'm ok now!!



Gianna's cousins Haley and Peyton finally got to meet her today!
Her Aunt Cara wanted to hold her all night.

Homecoming Day!

Gianna's ready to go home!

I arrived at the hospital today prepared to get all the info on the shunt surgery tomorrow. Instead, the neurosurgeons came by to tell me that not only is she NOT having surgery tomorrow, but they think she can go home TODAY! They want her to have another week to heal from her first surgery since the shunt will go through the same site in her head. She has been doing so well lately that they think she can stay at home for a week while her incision heals.

Our whole family together for the First Time....Finally!

Watching & Waiting

This weekend has basically been a transition time for Gianna to heal from last week's surgery in preparation for the upcoming shunt surgery on Tuesday. We've spent every possible moment with her here at the hospital. I feel like I'm constantly watching her for any signs that the increasing pressure in her brain in causing her to get sick. Her head circumference measured larger again last night but the nurses and doctors always assure us that the good thing about young infants is the ability of their heads to moreceasily expand since the skull hasn't completely formed and closed yet.

While we've been watching & waiting...lots of special things have happened this weekend. Gianna has had lots of family & friends come by to meet her and wish her well, her Granddaddy & I got to give her her first post-surgery bath last night, the boys (along with the McIntosh gang) had pink ice cream cake from NaNa & PapPap to celebrate Gianna's birth, and Dominic lost a tooth while at the hospital visiting G so the tooth fairy made a visit last night also! :-)

Brotherly Love

Dominic got to come visit today after his soccer game.  He said they won the game for Gianna!

Dominic wanted us to put her purple bow back on.



D decided to nickname Gianna "Cute Princess"!



Gianna's homecoming is going to be delayed a little longer. When Matt & I got here this morning, the nurses told us that her head circumference measured larger over the evening, meaning that the CSF is increasing in her brain. So although we had hoped she may be able to do without it, the shunt is now a definite. Once the team of Drs. did their rounds this morning, we found out she will stay here for the weekend, will have the head ultrasound on Monday, and is scheduled for the shunt surgery on Tuesday. We've been told that the shunt surgery isn't as complicated/risky as the encephalocele surgery, but I still feel for her having to have 2 neurosurgeries in 8 days... Good news today though is that all came back ok on her kidney ultrasound. Apparently babies with encephaloceles often have kidney and optic nerve problems, but Gianna continues to beat the odds! Also, although I'm disappointed that we don't get to have her home for the weekend, I know she is so well taken care of here that it's the best place for her right now.

Here's a couple of pics from yesterday.  Matt and I are heading to the hospital now....hoping to hear that Gianna will get to come home with us today!!  More good news from yesterday - the opthalmologist said her optic nerve is intact.  She also had a renal ultrasound last night and we'll hopefully have the results today.  Thanks so very much for all the visits, prayers and good wishes.  Hoping to share more good news later today!