Well there's good news and bad news. First, the good news...we found out what is causing Ashlyn's conductive hearing loss. It showed up in the catscan! It's called cholesteatoma. Unfortunately, she's had it for awhile and it's pretty bad. The bad news...she needs multiple surgeries to remove the cholesteatoma and reconstruct some of the ear bones. If interested, you can read about it here: http://www.earsite.com/tumors/cholesteatoma.html.
It has actually been there awhile and is going past the point it should and she needs surgery in the next month or month and a half. The ENT wants us to see the pediatric cardiologist again before doing this surgery to see if she'll be ok for general anesthesia. We have this appointment set for February 1st at Shands. Then we have the appointment with the ENT on February 7th to set a surgery day and go over the pre-op stuff. It is an outpatient surgery where she will be under 2-3 hours each time she has the surgery. The ENT will have to keep doing the surgery until he goes back and does not see any more of the bad cells. There is permanent damage to her ear bones (erosion). He will probably do some reconstruction of these bones the last time he goes in. Hearing is not our main concern right now and we will discuss these things with the doctor after he does the multiple mastoidectomy surgeries to eradicate the cholesteatoma. Teh second surgery will be months after the first (like 6 to 12 months I believe is what he said). We feel that this was caused by the multiple untreated ear infections she had while in China (she had a really bad one when we got her in China a little over a year ago and the Chinese doctor said it was nothing…but took 3 months to get rid of while here).
God definitely led us down the path we are today so that we could go get her and get her the treatments/surgeries she needed to live a happy, healthy, normal life! I couldn’t even imagine if she had never been adopted out, that this problem could actually cause complete hearing loss along with permanent facial nerve damage and possible brain issues. God keeps amazing me in the fact that He keeps leading us down the paths that we need to go to find out what her actual problems are that need to be treated because she was never diagnosed with any of these things while in China. We’ve even had issues with some of the doctors here not knowing what they are doing. There are reasons in my gut as to why I keep persisting when it comes to certain things…I just know, and God has given this to me!
I just wanted to let everyone know how amazing it is that this older child half way around the world can be united with you, a perfect stranger, and in a matter of days you can love this child as if they came from your womb. It's the most amazing blessing from God!
It has actually been there awhile and is going past the point it should and she needs surgery in the next month or month and a half. The ENT wants us to see the pediatric cardiologist again before doing this surgery to see if she'll be ok for general anesthesia. We have this appointment set for February 1st at Shands. Then we have the appointment with the ENT on February 7th to set a surgery day and go over the pre-op stuff. It is an outpatient surgery where she will be under 2-3 hours each time she has the surgery. The ENT will have to keep doing the surgery until he goes back and does not see any more of the bad cells. There is permanent damage to her ear bones (erosion). He will probably do some reconstruction of these bones the last time he goes in. Hearing is not our main concern right now and we will discuss these things with the doctor after he does the multiple mastoidectomy surgeries to eradicate the cholesteatoma. Teh second surgery will be months after the first (like 6 to 12 months I believe is what he said). We feel that this was caused by the multiple untreated ear infections she had while in China (she had a really bad one when we got her in China a little over a year ago and the Chinese doctor said it was nothing…but took 3 months to get rid of while here).
God definitely led us down the path we are today so that we could go get her and get her the treatments/surgeries she needed to live a happy, healthy, normal life! I couldn’t even imagine if she had never been adopted out, that this problem could actually cause complete hearing loss along with permanent facial nerve damage and possible brain issues. God keeps amazing me in the fact that He keeps leading us down the paths that we need to go to find out what her actual problems are that need to be treated because she was never diagnosed with any of these things while in China. We’ve even had issues with some of the doctors here not knowing what they are doing. There are reasons in my gut as to why I keep persisting when it comes to certain things…I just know, and God has given this to me!
I just wanted to let everyone know how amazing it is that this older child half way around the world can be united with you, a perfect stranger, and in a matter of days you can love this child as if they came from your womb. It's the most amazing blessing from God!
Wow I must have some how missed this post. I can't believe everything thats going on. I can't image what she must of went through with all those untreated ear infections???? We feel so blessed that Zoe hasn't even had one ear infection. It is truly a blessing for she only has one good ear for hearing and God has saved it for her to hear. Keep me posted I will be praying for you guys and Ashlyn.
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