Indy Trip

Today, Brian and I took Gavin to Indy.  He had another appointment with Dr. Haggstrom.  His next appointment wasn't scheduled until October, but we moved it up because of concerns we were having.  The concerns were: white spots on the birthmark, darkened/raised veins, and awkward gross motor movements. 

Our trip to Indy went very well and Gavin was so good.  We got there about an hour before his appointment so we pulled into a parking lot to eat lunch in the van.  After lunch, we went to the hospital so Gavin could move around a bit before the appointment.  Gavin charms people everywhere we go and today was no exception.  A lady kept commenting on how handsome he was. She couldn't get enough of him!  We went to the bathroom and looked at some jewelry set up in the lobby.  That is where Gavin saw it....the escalator!  Brian took him up and down twice before we convinced him the elevator would be just as cool!  Thankfully, they got him in a few minutes early because the appointment lasted almost an hour. 

Dr. Haggstrom and her two residents addressed all of our concerns.  Gavin was a pretty good patient considering it was his nap time.  He did everything they asked for except he didn't want to bend over to touch his toes.  He just looked at me like...are you serious?  As far as the white spots, she came right and said it was weird.  She'd never seen anything like that before.  In fact, she took pictures of it. She didn't seem to think that it was a medical concern at the time.  She basically said that his leg isn't getting proper blood flow so that can cause the malformation.

As far as the gross motor movements, she said that the muscle atrophy has something to do with it.  She also did a "rough" measurement of his legs.  The right leg measured 2 centimeters longer than the left.  The birthmark is on the right leg.  When she measured around the thigh and calf on both legs, they were comparable.  Dr. H referred us to a pediatric orthopedic doctor.  Gavin will need to have x-rays and a bone study done.  Dr. H's office is going to call me next week and let me know if the x-rays can be done in Evansville or will need to be done in Indy.  Then, we will go to Indy to meet with the doctor and discuss the findings.  If the legs aren't the same length, that will open a whole new can of worms.

After the appointment, Dr. H wants us to meet with the team of doctors again to discuss the veins.  She thinks he may need another MRI (the thought of that sends me into a panic) but wants to get every one's opinions.  She wants an updated and closer look at the exact location of the veins.  They may need to be injected and shrunk.

I left the appointment overwhelmed and relieved. Once again, my mother's instinct was correct.  I knew there was more going on with my baby!  There is just so much more to discover.  I'm overwhelmed because we have so much going on right now: pt/first steps/evsc meeting, ENT, and all of the stuff with Dr. Haggstrom.  I know that it could always be worse, but all of these appointments and unknowns put into perspective for me what some of my students and their families go through.

The ride home went well too.  We stopped to get gas and let Gavin pick out a snack for being such a good boy.  It is a long day, but it is always nice to focus all of our attention on just one kid!