Here I am, finally getting around to an update on all the testing we had done back in early October.
Bronchoscopy One of the things they look at during the bronchoscopy is placement and fit of the current trach. As of now, all looks well. At some point we will need to increase the length, but that comes with an increase in diameter. While he currently has room for a longer trach, he does not have room for a larger trach. The hope is that by the time he truly NEEDS the greater length he will also have room for the larger girth. While a custom trach is an option, it's something we would like to avoid as they are far more difficult to obtain. For now, things look good! There are a couple areas of granulation - not uncommon - that will be watched but which currently pose no danger. ABR (hearing test) As with his previous hearing tests, this test showed profound hearing loss. The good news is he has great bone conduction. This means we can use a bone conduction hearing aid to allow him to hear better what is going on in his environment. Those of us who are with Ki every day feel he hears better than what the tests indicate, but the audiologist says it is not uncommon for kids with hearing loss to find ways to compensate for their loss and even allow them to appear as if they are hearing when they are not. She herself has a completely deaf child who she says, if she didn't know better, she would believe can hear based on his responses/reactions. I was able to attend an appointment earlier this week to choose a hearing aid for Ki. When we are able to actually GET the aid will depend on how long it takes for everything to clear insurance... could be a week or two, could be several months. Ki's ear canals were still too small, and apparently his ear drum is at a very severe angle to the canal, making tubes a non-option at this point. MRI (brain and spine) These scans show stability and even some improvement from previous scans. The new shunt which was placed this summer is doing its job well! ****** All in all, it was a good day with good reports! Follow up for most things is six months to a year away. It was also the least "eventful" trip for Ki. He traveled well! I hope this is a new trend... ;)
1 Comment
Beth
11/20/2020 02:03:07 pm
Wonderful!
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AuthorHi. My name is Kristin. I am wife, mom, friend, Christ-lover. Thanks for stopping by and sharing in our story! ArchivesCategories
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