One of the hardest parts of the next few weeks will be balancing our need for more and complete information, with our inability to know everything…and our desire to let go and trust God.

We went to today’s appointment with high hopes in terms of being able to learn more.  The bloodwork results came back “good”.  That wasn’t a surprise as we were not suspecting Downs or a similar trisomy, given that we’ve effectively settled on the Dandy Walker diagnosis.  Nonetheless, confirming good news is still good news.

We were looking forward to the MRI results today as well.  I’ve probably watched too much tv, but I was anticipating huge revelations, great visual images, and a much clearer explanation of what is taking place in the boys’ brains.  Instead, we had to request to see the MRI results, and even then the explanations were no more clear than what we had assumed from the ultrasounds.  Not to mention I needed a dictionary to decipher them.

“Subjectively speaking, there appears to be polyhydramnios.  On many of the sequences, this has caused artifact as minor fluid movement can therefore lead to motion artifact on sequences.”

I believe what he was saying there is the high amniotic fluid levels led to distortion so getting a clear MRI was difficult.   My redneck version might be “looks like the high fluid led to some sloshing, and messed up the pictures.”

But who knows.  I suspect Doctors are trained not to say words like “sloshing”.

However…the MRI did NOT uncover new issues.  And aside from wanting more information, hoping we didn’t learn additional bad news was also in the forefront of our minds.  So no new bad news…is still good news.

Other developments include around a 15% disparity between L and N.  (Down from 25% last week).  L is measuring 2 lb 13 oz.  N is measuring 2 lb 6 oz.

The MRI also measured lateral ventricles in the mild to moderate range.  He even used the term “mild hydrocephalus”.  That is not a surprise to us either.  We anticipate that those fluid levels will rise and fall throughout the remainder of he pregnancy, and potentially see a spike following birth.  To prepare ourselves mentally, we’re assuming hydrocephalus will be an issue and that shunts will be put in…   Hopefully that’s a bad assumption, but it seems prudent to be prepared.

All in all, we remain cautiously optimistic for the boys.  No matter what lies ahead, we love them, and can’t wait to meet them.  And who knows, maybe some day they will become pediatric neurologists so they can explain all of this to their mother.

Please, please, please keep the prayers coming.  The next few weeks are going to be long and trying for us as we fight off feelings of helplessness and fear.  We have felt inexplicably strong and at peace throughout this, and I attribute that in no small part to the droves of you who are praying for our little family.  Some of you we know well, and some of you we’ve never met.  But we are eternally grateful for each of you.