Shuntiversary

One year!  To say that I have not thought about the shunt in the last year would be a HUGE lie.  In fact I have thought about it a TON in the last year.  It is probably one of the biggest things that I have beaten myself up about.  Throughout the last year, I thought about that darn thing so often. I wished that we would have taken Grayden to Boston to have a different procedure performed (ETV), which has a decreased chance of failing at some time in the future.  It has been very hard for me to get over the fact that I did not push harder and explore further and ask more questions. As a mom over the past year I have had feelings as though I somehow failed Grayden, and that I didn't do enough.  I trusted what I was told by our "small" town Grand Rapids neurosurgeon. 

But you know what, with the help of my good friends in my mommy group who I have vented to over and over again (thanks ladies) I have come to realize many things recently.  I did what I thought was best at the time based on the information I was given. That little tube saved my little guys life.  I think that I can finally say, after a year that I have finally come to terms with it.  I am not going to focus my attention on it anymore.  Who knows, maybe Grayden will be one of the lucky ones and have few issues with it.  You just never know.  And what I can say is that I am thankful that the shunt was placed without incidence and that it was an available option for treatment of Grayden's hydrocephalus.  50 years ago we would not have had that option.  My great Aunt did not have that option when her child was born with Spina Bifida. So I will forever be appreciative that there are medical options available and that the medical community is ever evolving.

Today we celebrated!  We celebrated because with the help of the shunt, Grayden is doing amazingly well and for that we will forever be thankfull!!!

Last year, day after surgery

Today as we celebrated with cupcakes!!