December follow up

Thankfully this months ENT follow up was, once again, uneventful. She did note that she felt the hygroma was growing with him (I.e., at a fairly similar rate as he is) and, after tilting his head back and pointing out a few specific areas on his neck, I could clearly see what she was referring to. Disappointing, yes, but it isn't disheartening. As long as the hygroma isn't growing faster than Sutton is there shouldn't be any additional issues with him maintaining his airway. 

The doctor and I had a long discussion about what surgery will look like this spring/summer. She mentioned that a trach is not out of the realm of possibility. "What?! He's been maintaining his own airway, breastfeeding, crying and babbling. What do you mean it's still a possibility????" was my initial reaction. I took it off the table when we brought him home like a "normal" baby. I left it in the NICU. She assured me that it is significantly less likely because his progress has been so positive, but if the swelling after surgery will not recede and he can't be extubated, he will have to have a trach placed. Ideally, surgery will go fine, he'll have a drain or two, get some steroids, be extubated and head home after the drains are removed - about a week after surgery. Ideal. We're praying for ideal. We're praying that we can keep him reasonably healthy through the winter. Illness is inevitable we just want to keep it to a minimum. We're praying that everything will go as we would like. Ultimately it is not within our control, but that's probably a good thing. 

All of the COBRA stuff has finally been processed (that was painstaking!) and Sutton received his first dose of the RSV preventative earlier this month. That relieves a heavy burden of concern knowing that he has that medication on board. He will get another dose after the first of the year.