Some Good News...Finally!

Today our sweet Sophie is three weeks old.  It's hard to believe that it's been that long and at the same time it seems like we've been on this path with her for so much longer.  We got some great news today.  The neurologist said that Sophie is an excellent candidate for surgery to remove the largest tumor on her brain.  It appears from the EEG monitoring that the seizures are coming from that specific tumor.  I had just arrived at the hospital this afternoon when I noticed that she was having a small seizure.  The neurologist happened to be nearby and came over to view the EEG video from the past couple hours.  She discovered that Sophie had had many seizures and was able to see that they were coming from the same part of her brain.  Part of the reason she had so many was that they cut out one of her medications yesterday because they thought it wasn't helping.  Well, apparently it was doing something because taking it away caused her to have so many seizures today.  So she is back on all 4 medications and they'll be tweaking the dosages and observing her over the next couple days.

Sophie won't have surgery immediately.  The neurosurgeon does not like to operate on newborns and would feel more comfortable waiting until she is 4-6 months old.  The goal right now is to get her seizures under control with these medications and then send her home on them.  The waiting game will begin to see what happens, but hopefully they'll be controlled for awhile.  As she grows more seizures will likely break through and then a determination will be made if surgery will happen.  Mike and I both feel that it will eventually, and while it's scary, it could be life changing for Sophie to have this tumor removed if it could stop or lessen her seizures.  I've never been so excited to get news as overwhelming as this.  But, in the whole scope of things it is the best news we have received.  There is a plan now and we just have to see how it unfolds.

I believe that God is leading us down this path.  It has been so hard for me to make sense of the past three weeks and why Sophie has to go through this as well as our family.  To be disappointed over and over thinking she might come home and then being overwhelmed with all the unknown about her condition has been very difficult.  Today I feel a sense of peace that our biggest prayer has been answered.  There is an option for surgery if medication fails.  And our baby girl could have a chance at a much more normal life. 

Thank you for all your prayers and keep them coming.  Pray that the doctors are guided in the right direction in controlling her seizures to a point they are comfortable sending her home.  And that once we bring her home, we might have a break from all this for awhile so that we can enjoy Sophie and start living our lives as a family of five.  Many blessings to all of you.  God is so good!