Brooklyn's surgery & recovery
Donation protected
For those who may not know, Brooklyn was born at 27 weeks weighing 2# 7 oz. She suffered a massive brain bleed on her third day. She now has hydrocephalus which requires the use of a shunt to drain the spinal fluid from her brain. She had five revisions of her shunt in the first few years of her life, but the last one lasted for 8 years approximately. However, that streak just ended.
After about a week of doctors appointments and ER visits we were finally provided some answers. Sometime in the last few days Brooklyn's shunt became disconnected and malfunctioned. We spent Wednesday night and all day yesterday in the hospital trying to decide the best way to proceed. Ultimately she was going to have to have surgery with whatever decision we decided, but after a lot of thought and prayers we decided to try a procedure called an ETV. This could potentially get rid of the need for a shunt. We were told about this procedure when she much younger with the premise that if/when her shunt malfunctioned we would try this.
Today is September 1, 2017. Surgery started this morning at 7:30 am, everything was going according to plan but once Dr. Iskandar got in there he realized that the ETV would immediately fail because her third ventricle was completely blocked. Doctor Iskandar was not able to safely complete the procedure. Since the shunt had malfunctioned and since the ETV failed, the surgery team then proceeded to revise the shunt. I just met with the doctor who said the surgery went as well as it could have after determining he couldn't complete the ETV. She is going to have to stay for a few nights depending on how she is feeling. Thank you to everyone who kept her on your thoughts and prayers during this time.
We don't like to ask for help, but with being off of work for appointments, now being in the hospital, and not knowing when I will be able to go back to work we need to prepare ourselves for some financial hardship. If you are able, please considering helping our family during this difficult time.
We want to thank everyone for your kind words of encouragement and prayers. They are greatly needed and very much appreciated.
After about a week of doctors appointments and ER visits we were finally provided some answers. Sometime in the last few days Brooklyn's shunt became disconnected and malfunctioned. We spent Wednesday night and all day yesterday in the hospital trying to decide the best way to proceed. Ultimately she was going to have to have surgery with whatever decision we decided, but after a lot of thought and prayers we decided to try a procedure called an ETV. This could potentially get rid of the need for a shunt. We were told about this procedure when she much younger with the premise that if/when her shunt malfunctioned we would try this.
Today is September 1, 2017. Surgery started this morning at 7:30 am, everything was going according to plan but once Dr. Iskandar got in there he realized that the ETV would immediately fail because her third ventricle was completely blocked. Doctor Iskandar was not able to safely complete the procedure. Since the shunt had malfunctioned and since the ETV failed, the surgery team then proceeded to revise the shunt. I just met with the doctor who said the surgery went as well as it could have after determining he couldn't complete the ETV. She is going to have to stay for a few nights depending on how she is feeling. Thank you to everyone who kept her on your thoughts and prayers during this time.
We don't like to ask for help, but with being off of work for appointments, now being in the hospital, and not knowing when I will be able to go back to work we need to prepare ourselves for some financial hardship. If you are able, please considering helping our family during this difficult time.
We want to thank everyone for your kind words of encouragement and prayers. They are greatly needed and very much appreciated.
Organizer
Tina Panske
Organizer
Pulaski, WI
