Note: I've been meaning to do an update on Jack's hemangioma and all the treatments he's been going through so that I have it documented. It might be a bit boring so just scroll down for chunky pics!
Tyler and I have been working on lots of life decisions lately.
It always seems to come back to pros and cons.
That goes for Jack's eye, as well. Here it goes...
The pediatrician referred us to the pediatric plastic surgeon.
We injected it with steroids...no change.
The pediatric plastic surgeon referred us to a pediatric opthamologist.
The opthamologist said it was definitely affecting his vision, to the extent that he's already starting to need glasses. He told us to patch the strong eye for one hour a day to strengthen the weak eye and come back in 6 weeks.
Pediatric Opthamologist strongly recommended trying a medicinal approach and sent us back to the plastic surgeon.
The plastic surgeon referred us to a pediatric hemotologist/oncologist.
The hemotologist/oncologist sent us for chest x-rays and abdomen/head ultrasounds to check Jack and make sure there were no other hemangiomas. No other findings.
He then put Jack on two medicines to be taken twice daily (one was for gastritis associated with one of the meds) and another medication three times a day.
Within days the hemangioma had shrunk and from what we can tell, Jack's vision is not currently being blocked. We visited the opthamologist today and no more patch! He said Jack is looking good and we will see him again in 2 months.
PRO: The hemangioma shrunk and Jack's vision is currently not being blocked.
CON: Jack has to take 3 medicines each day and some of the side effects are not so pleasant (we've got a hungry, hyper, chunky baby on our hands).
He's been on the medicines a total of four weeks now. We will start weaning him off one of the meds in a couple of weeks and hopefully he will be finished within 4 weeks. The other medicine will continue for up to 6 months.
He is extremely hungry which has really affected his sleeping. He wakes up at least once a night and has been waking up much earlier than normal and not going back to sleep. He has not been napping much at school, either. His personality has not changed too drastically which is good. He has gained 2 pounds in 4 weeks. He is my little chunker.
Tyler and I had a quick diaper photo shoto with him last weekend so we can remember how chunky he is right now...he's gotten even chunkier since these pics! They say he'll slim down again when he stops the meds, but my little Jack is little no more. He is
a cutie!
a cutie!
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