Hernia

I took Chloe to see the surgeon that placed a penrose drain in her abdomen at 19 days old. The penrose drain was basically a soft tube that they placed in her abdomen and left part of it hanging out of her stomach. Its purpose was to drain fluid/poison that had released from her ruptured intestines and into her belly. I'm convinced that the ruptured intestines were caused by endomethicin, the drug they used to try and close her PDA (open heart valve). The Endomethicin didn't work to close her PDA; she still had to have surgery for that. But it did pop a hole in her intestines. I hate that stupid drug. If only I knew then what I know now. What a nightmare that day was. I'm pretty sure I've never cried so hard before or since.

This is our second post-discharge visit to the surgeon. The first visit was a routine post-discharge visit and at it he warned us that she might get a hernia at the spot where the penrose drain was placed. Last weekend we noticed she was red all around the scar and there were a couple of little bumps that seemed to be sticking out. The surgeon inspected the spot and can't feel a "clinical" hernia but suspects that she's working on one. It could have just been a little bit of fat tissue poking through and the red could have been unhealthy tissue making itself known. Any unhealthy fat tissue will probably just dissolve away so that's not too much of a concern.

He recommends, though, that we keep an eye on it and come back if we see anything bigger sticking out or if the redness continues. She'll almost certainly need to have another surgery where they basically re-do the scar. Right now it's kind of a nasty indented and jagged C-shape with lines coming out of it. He'll cut a football shape around it and then sew it all together to make a sturdier and cleaner scar that won't herniate. We should do this during childhood and before Chloe goes through puberty and, as he described it, could "potentially thicken in the middle" making it a more difficult surgery. It's funny the reaction a mom has when someone suggests their kid could become chunky. I was slightly offended to tell the truth. Does that say something bad about me?

Anyway, it's another surgery to think about. We should do it during childhood but there's no urgency right now. The good news is that we could get the Opthomologist to run in for a quick eye check during that surgery when we have it. Like an EUA freebie. (Not monetarily but anesthesia-wise.)

And speaking of her eyes, Dave and I are considering taking Chloe to a glaucoma specialist. We're happy with her Optho but are just considering whether or not we want an extra opinion.