Saturday, April 25, 2009

Tegan James

As most of you probably know, we had our second son on March 8, 2009. My labor and delivery went extremely smooth. I had originally intended on having a "natural labor and delivery" but I was induced and wound up receiving an epidural (all that natural labor and delivery crap is for the birds ;) Anyhow, Tegan weighed 7 lbs 4 oz and was approximately 19 inches long. As of today, he weighs approximately 11 lbs...so apparently my breastmilk is working!

As some of you may have noticed, Tegan has a large red mark across the right side of his face. He was born with what is affectionately called a "port wine stain (PWS)." Simply put, it is a vascular birthmark. For those who need more information, it is a malformations of tiny blood vessels that connect the veins to the arteries (capillaries) located in the upper levels of the skin. While the birthmark alone is simply a cosmetic concern, there is a condition that is associated with PWS on the face. This condition is known as Sturge-Weber Syndrome and occurs when the vascular malformation has happened within the brain. The malformation can also occur within the eye, causing glaucoma or increase pressure in the eye.

Over the next year, we will be traveling to Little Rock, Arkansas so that Tegan can receive laser treatments to his birthmark. Why Little Rock? you ask. Because it is the closest place that has a pediatric dermatologist. We made our first trip last weekend. We met with our dermatologist, Dr. Kincannon, who by the way is awesome! He immediately addressed the health concerns that accompany PWS, and issued an ultrasound of his little brain. He then spoke to us about what to expect with the laser treatments, as he will have to have several treatments. Although the laser treatments will fade the birthmark significantly, it will never completely disappear. Not that this was ever a concern to me...I think he's the most perfect little boy EVER! Anyhow, I just received word that his ultrasound results came back completely normal! (I knew it would...but it's always nice to just be sure). As he approaches his one year birthday, he will receive a MRI of his brain to assess any vascular issues missed by the ultrasound. And I am waiting to hear back from his pediatrician for a referral for an eye doctor to test for glaucoma or any other issues.

All that to say, Tegan is absolutely perfect. I look at him and am so much in love that I am left speechless. I don't even see the birthmark and in a perfect world, I would leave him as God created him...but I know there will come a time when he starts school. Some kids are ruthless and I will do everything I can to help my son avoid being bullied. I would love for everyone to pray for us...that Tegan's test results will always be normal, that his birthmark fades quickly with the treatments, and that we stay safe on our trips to Little Rock. I will keep everyone updated as we go along.

Aimee (and family)