Sonographic Imaging Of The Brain

We received great news on Kayley's head ultrasound today. Rather than beat around the bush, I'll just write what the report says and then try to put it in terms we can understand. The report has a lot of medical jargon.

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REPORT:

Reason for Procedure

Intraventricular Hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain)

Indication

Real time sonographic imaging of the brain was performed through the anterior fontanelle in the sagittal and coronal planes.

(They performed an ultrasound on Kayley's brain through the soft spot on the top of her head...in real time.)

The ventricles are normal in size with no shift of the midline. No hemorrhage or space-occupying lesion is identified. No abnormal intra- or extra-axial fluid collection is identified. Periventricular echogenicity is unremarkable. Linear striations in the thalami are consistent with mineralizing vasculpathy, a nonspecific indicator of perinatal stress. Previously suggested hemorrhage is no longer appreciated.

(The spaces in Kayley's brain called the ventricles are not bigger than normal due to her brain bleed. There is no collection of fluid which means that the bleed is pretty much all resolved. There are no signs of scarring or cysts...therefore being unremarkable. The ridges in the thalami (part of the brain) are consistent with the resolving of inflamed blood vessels, which could be an indicator of perinatal stress...meaning that Kayley really might have had a bleed that resolved. And finally, the brain bleed that they suggest Kayley had gets no appreciation....I mean it's no longer there.)

Impression

Normal examination

(the exam was normal)

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So, that all seems like good news to us. Anyone else wonder why they insist on using all the medical terms?

Another big event from the day is that they tried to bottle feed Kayley for the first time at her 6 pm feeding. Megan was there with Kayley. She said it didn't go so well but it could have been worse. Instead of being in rhythm with her suck, swallow, breathe, she was doing more of the suck....then swallow....then breathe...then take a break. Kayley did swallow some milk but Megan said she was basically telling them, "Hey, I'm not ready for this." Even though she didn't pass with flying colors, it was better that Kayley was able to understand that she didn't want to do this new thing rather than just suck away and then choke on the milk. She understood what to do with the milk in her mouth once she got it. She knew that the bottle was not the pacifier and something different was happening that she wasn't ready for. So, I guess we'll try another day...

I am unable to report on Kayley's weight tonight because all the scales were in use elsewhere when the nurse normally weighs Kayley before her 9 pm feeding. They will weigh her sometime after I leave. I'll have to report it tomorrow after Megan calls in the morning to check in.