Surgery

Ethan is schedule for another spinal cord detether surgery on April 14th at St Louis Children's Hospital. Shortly after we brought him home, on May 17, 2007 he had his first surgery since his adoption. //http://clineadoption.blogspot.com/2007/05/surgery-update.html This will be the same kind of surgery. We have seen a rapid deterioration of his orthopedic function in the past several months, along with increased pain and some urological symptoms. Not that we're excited that he has to have surgery, but we're very glad that we're able to get this done quickly in order to stop the progression of his symptoms.

We'll be at the hospital for around a week, with him in ICU for the first part, having to lay flat so that the dura around the spinal cord can heal properly. If you're in the St Louis area, we'd love a visit, if not you can send Ethan a card through the hospital's website http://www.stlouischildrens.org/content/SendaGiftorGreeting.htm and they will deliver it the next day to his room.

Ethan is actually dealing with having his 4th surgery since coming home very well. He was the most worried that he would have a button on the bottom of his foot like his orthopedic surgery. Once I assured him that this surgery he wouldn't have casts he was fine. I didn't tell him that sometime after he has recuperated from this surgery he will have another orthopedic surgery and will have casts on both legs. We'll save that information until that surgery is scheduled.

The hospital has WiFi so I should be able to keep everyone updated throughout our stay.

We would appreciate your prayers to guide the surgeons hands during surgery and that this will have a positive effect on Ethan's motor function.