On Wednesday we went back to Iowa City for a follow-up visit with Lizzy's surgeon. This is the first time since her surgery that she had an MRI. Until now, we didn't know for sure that the surgery did what it was intended to do, but now there is no question.
While we were hopeful that we would see some improvement, we really didn't expect that she would be so far improved! Nearly all of the fluid that had filled her spinal cord has drained and fluid is flowing very normally.
This is a picture from her first MRI in April. You can see how her brain had grown down into the spinal canal. As a result, the fluid that would normally flow down the outside of her spinal cord was filling the inside of the spinal cord causing it to be much larger than normal. You can see the fluid extending down the length of her spinal cord.
Here's a picture from Wednesday. You can see how the surgery created space for fluid to flow normally outside of the spinal cord. The fluid is white and flowing down the outside of the spinal cord like it's supposed to. The spinal cord is looking much more normal. You can see a little fluid still inside the spinal cord, but soooo much better than before!
We are very, very happy with how things are going. We think her scoliosis is starting to straighten too. She's one and a half inches taller than she was just three months ago and she is looking straighter to us. She'll follow-up with the orthopedic doctor in a couple of months to get official update on that. Her reflexes are still mostly unresponsive, but the one reflex that was overactive is more normal now. She's also starting to be a little more ticklish.
We are so thankful for the miracle of modern medicine. In this case, it has saved our daughter's life. We're thankful too for the many many people who showed so much care and concern for our family this summer and offered prayers on our behalf. Lizzy kept all of the cards she received - it was so kind of everyone that sent them. Below are some pictures of Lizzy with her cards.
