Neonatal Follow Up Appointments

I have been meaning to update everyone about Mikail's Neonatal Follow Up appointments at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Clinic and then his Neurologist appointment at the Stollery Children's Hospital, but some additional great things have been happening since his middle of November appointments. Mikail and I got to go home for a few days, which was a really nice, yet REALLY tiring time (tiring for me at least). I don't know how single Mamas do it. I count on J so much in the every day stuff of parenting and when he is not there I just feel like I am about to unravel by the end of the day. A huge bouquet to all the single Mamas out there. You ROCK!!

Back to the Neonatal Follow Up Appointments. We drove to Edmonton on Sunday and got to our hotel in the late afternoon leaving us the evening to relax and get to bed early for the appointments. Mikail had other ideas though. He thought it would be great to not fall asleep and then when he finally did he thought waking up every hour would be so much fun!! Mama and Daddy were NOT impressed. We are spoiled with a baby that usually sleeps eight hours straight and then feeds and then sleeps four to five hours more. Yikers to those who have to get up all the time.

Showing off his tummy time skills to the Physiotherapist at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Clinic.

In the morning we made our way to the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital and met with a nurse, a nutritionist, a social worker, an audiologist, a pediatrician, and an occupational therapist. The appointments were all great and Mikail wowed them all. They had not expected to see the little boy that we brought to them. He did not fit the prognosis. Over and over we were reminded how important it was that we caught the stroke/seizures so quickly. He has seen an occupational therapist and a physiotherapist since he was about 4 weeks old, so he can do things that a child with the extent of brain damage done by a stroke, should not be able to do. Praise the Lord!! He had great reports at each of his appointments.

At the Stollery Children's Hospital, waiting for the neurologist to meet us.

In the afternoon we made our way to the Stollery Children's Hospital and met with Mikail's Neurologist, who had to check his file THREE TIMES to make sure that he had the right baby. Mikail was using both his right and his left sides the same and often favouring his right side, which is supposedly the side affected by the stroke. We just LOVED those moments. To surprise the neurologist was just the best feeling. We were also able to discuss some questions in regards to the future of our little miracle, which was really good to just get a bit of insight on what to expect.

The neurologist showed us the images of the MRI. We had not seen them before, and I think there is a reason why. We wouldn't have been ready to see them up until this point. The spots that the stroke damaged were a lot larger than we both had imagined and it would have been so discouraging to see those at the beginning. Now we know that Mikail's little brain is able to create new pathways so that he can still develop the skills he 'shouldn't' be able to develop according to the brain damage. What amazing bodies we have. Knowing that he is able to do this, pushes us even more to help him become the absolute best that he can become; the man God ultimately wants him to become.

God is so good!

We will go back to the Glenrose and the Stollery when Mikail is a year old and go through the same appointments at that time.