Frankie (Please Pray) Updated 10/30-He's home!

hanging out, Easter 2010

I don't have all the details yet, but thought I'd post this anyway--because God knows the details!

Frankie (our nephew) has been feeling really sick this week. He was being treated for a sinus infection, but was really feeling miserable. He had a follow up with the doctor today, and she sent him straight to the ER. That ER sent him to another ER (where he is now) that has a specialty neurology/neurosurgeon department.

They think he may have this: Arnold Chiari Malformation. From google, it looks like some type of either fluid on the brain, or brain tissue displaced into the spinal canal. It also looks like the treatment is a major surgery. He has a consult with a neurologist in the morning at the hospital.

He is in severe pain--please pray about that. Please also pray that he is diagnosed correctly and that whatever treatment is necessary goes smoothly. I'll update as I know more.

UPDATED

8am 10/29: Frankie has an MRI at 9:30, the consultation with the neurologist will follow the MRI results.

11:30am 10/29: They've moved the MRI to 12:30, and will be doing a spinal tap as well to determine next steps.

12:50: NO spinal tap, going into surgery right now to place a shunt from Brain to his abdomen. Please pray.

8:50PM: Surgery was a success! No indications on what caused the hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain). They are running tests on the spinal fluid. It was emergency surgery, because his heart rate dropped to 38 and they did an eye exam and were able to see the extreme pressure by looking at the vessels. The neurosurgeron said that his pressure was extremely HIGH, and she was thankful that they had done the eye exam--because the scans didn't look like enough fluid for the pressure to be that high. I'm so thankful to be typing this information, and am SO grateful for the prayers. He is in ICU, but doing well. Thanks for the prayers and KEEP THEM COMING! Also thankful to Dr. Kimberly Terry for taking care of Frankie!

10/30: He's home! Already! He has no headache pain at all anymore, which is incredible. The catscan looks good! The testing they were doing came back clear (which is awesome, but they still don't know what caused this). He is resting and taking it easy. The first 3 months are a heightened risk for infection in the shunt, so he'll be monitored closely. The prayers are appreciated by all of us, and we ask that you continue to pray!