A very nervous medical student examined Grace first and then consulted with Dr. Scherer. Apparently, he is not an orthopedic surgeon, which was what our doctor's office told us. He is a pediatric surgeon who actually performs the corrective procedures for her chest abnormality. We still need to be referred to an orthopedic surgeon who will have to collaborate with Dr. Scherer in the future. He asked us if she was born with this abnormality, which we had never before considered. We had assumed she always had it. Apparently, he thinks it may have been caused by her handling as a preemie. She is too young to try any corrective procedures, but he said that in about 2 years, when she can understand and "buy into" wearing a brace, he will try to put her in an apparatus to push the protrusion on her left side inward. The right side is concave slightly, but he anticipates that the brace may help to correct both sides. If not she will need surgery to correct it around age 10. The surgeon also noticed scoliosis in her spine between her shoulder blades which will need to be examined and monitored by a pediatric orthopedist. If the scoliosis progresses and requires intervention, the chest abnormality would need to be addressed first, so we will probably see another specialist at Riley to facilitate collaboration between the two doctors. The doctor also asked if she had ever had an echocardiogram to check her heart function since the scoliosis, hyperflexibility, chest abnormality, and mention of "low connective tissue values" in her chart could all be part of a rare syndrome that would show up as enlargement of her heart valves and tissues. When we told him no, he scheduled one before we left the center. Mark loved watching the technician and Grace got to hear the way that her heart sounded as the blood rushed through it. Even though the doctor was supposed to call us with the results, the secretary handed them to us as we left because everything was normal. What a relief!
It is amazing how Grace impacts people wherever she goes. The sonographer took Grace in to the office to meet the staff who gave her a puzzle to take home. Then she saw a boy in a fancy new electric wheelchair in the waiting room and stopped to talk to him. She asked him if it went fast, if he had a license so he could drive, and if she could drive it when she was a big girl. Her fascination as she touched the wheels and walked around the shiny, black chair brought a smile to the teenage boy's face. He was so proud to talk to her about his new chair, and she gave him a fist bump when he held out his curled hand to leave. She has such a joyous loving heart
We originally planned to hit the Children's Museum today and the Zoo tomorrow, but Mark and Gracie were really exhausted, so instead we went back to the hotel for a swim and a short nap. Grace loves being in the water even when it is rather cold, and she went under the water over and over while she shivered and squealed.
Right when we were getting ready to meet Vince for supper, he called to tell us that one of his friends had been rushed to the hospital and had asked for him to go. We sent him on his way and headed the hour to Marion. Apparently, his friend had a concussion but was being released, so he was able to meet us later on for supper. Grace was so glad to meet him and some of his friends. She really missed her brother, and I think he liked seeing her, too. It is hard to believe that he will graduate in only a couple of months and will enter the world of working. He will start working for the Early Head Start program in Decatur in June as a 0-3 yr. old teacher. He will be wonderful, after he figures out how to change those diapers...
The new IWU chapel!
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