Today Luke went to see his pediatrician, Dr. Bravo. The nurse weighed Luke in at 19 lbs. 2 oz., 29 1/2 in. long and his head circumference is 43 1/2 cm. The head size measurement is especially important because we want it to grow but not fast or that would signify a shunt malfunction (it has grown an acceptable 1/2cm since last month.) After consulting the height & weight chart for Luke's adjusted age of 9 months, he's in the 50th percentile in weight and the 95th percentile in height. He's a very tall little guy!
Dr. Bravo is extremely happy with his progress and is still delighted to see him respond visually. He wrote him a prescription for a splint for his right hand (a soft one during the day, a harder one at night) per occupational therapist Lori's request. Luke's CP keeps his right hand in a fist most of the time so we want to help him use it and not let the muscles be permanently effected by lack of use and it being in a constant little ball.
We also set up Luke's appointment for a head cat scan next month. Dr. Edwards, the Stanford neurosurgeon, wants to get a detailed update on how everything is going in Luke's little construction zone of a brain. So Luke will have this done at Sierra Vista hospital in SLO (where he was born!) and we will bring it up to Stanford so Dr. Edwards can review it at his April 7th follow-up appointment. I'm already feeling major anxiety about this appointment because it was difficult on the both of us back in September. Luke has to be secured tightly down to a board so he can't wiggle a lot during the scan and I have to wear a lead thyroid protector along with a thick lead vest. Distrubing to think that Luke is being exposed to so much radiation but the benefits of being able to see the details of his head out weigh the risk so we do what we need to do. Maybe Dad will be willing to be Luke's CT buddy this next time...
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