Noah's Non Surgery

Apparently I never posted anything about Noah's previously scheduled surgery.  So, here's a little info:

When babies are in the womb, they have membranes inside their sinus cavities to prevent fluids from entering into the cavities - and, eventually, the lungs.

 

During the normal course of prenatal development, these membranes rupture.  Apparently, Noah's did not on his left side.  As a result, he has had a "gunky eye" pretty much since birth.  Obviously, it was much worse during cold and allergy season than it is now.  However, they don't do surgery until the baby is at least 6 months old, because oftentimes it self-corrects.  Noah's did not. 

 

So, we've been seeing a pediatric opthamologist, Dr. Coehn (Dr. McCash couldn't get him in until later).  On Thursday morning he'll have the surgery performed at the Methodist Ambulatory Surgery Center.

  

They'll put him under and run a tiny tube in through his tear duct and down into his nose then vice versa to open the obstruction.  The whole procedure takes just minutes, and he'll stay in recovery for about an hour to ensure he's not having any bleeding into the sinus cavity.  Then it's back home from some R&R.  He'll go back to the doctor the next morning to ensure it didn't close back up overnight (or that he hasn't developed a clot in the cavity).  He can go back to daycare on Monday.

 

They said he might have a black eye or some bruising on his face from the procedure.  That, and it's not guaranteed to work.