Ped Op Visit - November 2014

Alex had a Ped Op visit at Duke today.  Alex was AMAZING at this visit and very cooperative.  For the first time we were able to do the vision assessment where he identifies objects projected on the wall.  He cooperated for all of the other assessments and we even got his pressures in the office which hasn't happened in a very long time.  Not to say the assessments were done on the first (or 25th) attempt...but definitely progress.  He sat in Daddy's lap and each one was a "game".  When we asked him what his favorite part of the visit was he said the games.  Also, it might have helped that there weren't any eye drops this time.  The office was very busy and the wait times were long, but Alex and his sister did a great job.  We ran into one of Alex's former classmates from Governor Morehead Preschool and they had fun playing in the waiting area. 

We were blessed with no changes since his last clinic visit and EUA.  Pressures were good, no cataracts, patching is working to keep vision in left eye, no change to his glasses prescription.  For the patching, we will continue to patch 8 hours per week and observe, but he may need strabismus surgery in the future. 

Next office visit in May 2015.  Planning for another EUA in summer 2015 to check the drainage angle to see if any progression of the lacy membrane closing the drain.  If progression, we will discuss pros and cons of goniotomy surgery to open the drain to prevent glaucoma.

Sleepy boy at lunch.  Took a final bite of grilled cheese and then went to sleep in the booth.

Third EUA

Alex had his third EUA on Friday.  We had a 6am arrival time at Duke.  We were in a different bay than the last two times and Alex remembered that the other one had bees on the walls.  He did well with the nurse taking his vitals -especially since Daddy made it a game.  Alex did not want the oral medicine to help him relax before going back for general anesthesia.  After a lot of coaxing to try and take it with apple juice, the nurse just had to put it in his mouth.  It tasted terrible and he gagged and spit up a little, but did keep the majority of it down.  In the last two pictures you can see the medicine was working and he was getting really silly.  Recovery went well and was similar to his first EUA about a year ago.  For his second one, they did not include a drug in his IV at the end to slow his wake up and he woke up very disoriented.  This time, similar to the first one, they included the drug and he was in recovery for a while.  He woke up and wanted everything removed (IV, etc.).  He calmed down after a while and fell back asleep on my lap.

Results:  No changes.  Pressures  still low (no glaucoma), clear corneas (no cataracts), no progression of the lacy membrane that covers the drain.  Next appointment will be a clinic visit in 3 to 4 months.  Most likely will have surgery after that to correct his left eye that drifts out.