Kate Update

A picture of a beautifully NORMAL brain.

No bleeds.

No abnormalities.

No tumors.

Praise God!  We are so thankful that everything went well.

The next step is our genetics appointment.  Based on the appointment we had today, most likely the genetics appointment will not shed any new light on Kate's condition.  So we are probably not going to get any answers at this time as to what is causing her delays, or what her prognosis is long-term.

We'll just be proceeding as we have with therapy and close monitoring.

Thanks for your support!

Kate is late.

Kate has many delays.  In her short little life, she has had some type of a struggle all the time.

First there was the colic and a few small other things. Then came her eyesight. And at her 9 month appointment, we were told that she had some delays that needed further testing. In addition, she has always been below the curve for all of her stats.  She has always followed the curve, but been below.  The concern for that has been primarily her head size.  She has a small head.  Not one you can notice, since it is proportionate to the rest of her body.  But since developmental delays and a small head together can equal a variety of syndromes, problems, etc. it has remained a concern. (Oh, and the rest of us in her family have big heads.  So that doesn't explain it.)

So for the past 13 months we have been undergoing therapy and tests. We have at least one appointment per week.

She has seen a nutritionist, a occupational therapist, a speech therapist, and now a physical therapist.  She has had hearing tests (normal), genetics testing (results still to be explained to us - she has a chromosome gain of unknown clinical significance - appointment with genetics is in August), and of course the developmental tests.

Currently, Kate is a 10-14 month old in all areas of development.  She is one month shy of 2 years and is just now starting to pull herself up to stand.  She will walk with our hands, but is yet to stand by herself or take any steps.  She has said a few words, but then stops.  She has a few signs, but is currently not using them.  She mainly screams and grunts to communicate.

Tomorrow, she has to have a brain MRI under general anesthesia.  They are looking for a brain bleed, brain damage, or a brain tumor.  They do not suspect it is a tumor since her head is small.  If it is a brain bleed or damage of some form, than most likely that is the cause of her delays.  Unfortunately, there are no treatments for that.  Kindly, the amazing Children's Hospital schedules the results appointment later the same day, so we don't have to wait for answers.

But in all of this, she is happy and content.  She has the sweetest smile and the most contagious giggle.  She lights up a room with her curls and her 4-eyed cuteness.

We love her and hope that the delays are temporary.  But we also know that if they aren't, God is with us and has a wonderful plan for our lives and hers.

So even though Kate is late, she is great!

Dear Blog,

I am so very sorry for ignoring you for so long.  It is not that I don't think of you.  I do almost every day.  I have countless ideas for posts in my head, but I have been lazy.  I hope you can forgive me.

So, what's new?  Oh yea, you are a blog and you only have something new if I do my job.  Sorry once again.

Me?!  Thanks for asking.

I have been all over the map, both literally and figuratively.

Since my last post, I have been with my family and our dear friends, the Stannerts, on a road trip down the coast to the Redwoods.  Beautiful and so much fun.  Then we just returned less than a week ago from our Annual Hanson Family Vacation in Sunriver, OR - #13 this year and the first without my dad.  Bittersweet, but a wonderful time as well.

During the rest of the time, we have been busy with life.

Swim lessons...
Therapy appointments...
Doctors appointments...
Dentist appointments...
Play dates...
Yard work...
House work...

Back to the map, I have been all over the place emotionally.  Not surprising for what I am going through, but hard nonetheless.  I have wanted desperately to journal, to document all that happened with my dad and the following weeks - so very special and I don't want to forget it.  I want to journal all that is going on with Kate and her developmental delays and the strain that I am under.  I want to document our trips and all those memories.  I want to write down all the funny things Sam says.

Yet, here I sit.  I have read at least 11 novels since my dad died.  Watched a lot of tv, some good (loved the ending of this season of Bones!), some boring.  I have barely picked up my Bible, just read and reread some of my favorite verses.  I have hardly crafted or done any of the fun summer activities I looked so forward to.  I have slept more and wished that I could sleep even more.

Overall, I think I am numb and just want to escape.  So I let myself here and there.  And now, I am trying to do more.  The escaping is starting to bring me down.  So I am blogging.  Today I even finished a craft project that has been sitting around for years.  One that didn't require too much thought, just busy work (as I rewatched the Bones finale during the kids' naptime). I read a cheesy devotional instead of just a verse.  I finished some laundry and got the house clean before the therapist came by.

It's a start.