It's taken me a while to start this entry just because I really didn't know whether I wanted to talk about Hannah's MRI results. Sometimes I feel like people see a diagnosis or test result and that is how they start seeing the child. Hannah is such a miracle to us and so amazing that I didn't want anyone limiting her or seeing her differently.  After talking to friends and thinking long and hard I decided that it was better to tell her story so that others might consider adopting children like her instead of turning away in fear. If I had seen her results before adopting her I myself would have been very hesitant in deciding to go ahead. Saying that I know I would have taken her because I was so in love even before we met but I would have been terrified instead of just scared...LOL! I suppose it's just degrees of fear but it would have been harder.

They sedated Hannah last month and did an MRI of her spine and head. Of course we already knew there were things going on in her spine due to her Spina Bifida. She actually has a tethered cord and will probably have to have surgery eventually. My understanding is that there is scare tissue from when they closed her at 6 days old. That scare tissue is now pulling on her spinal cord and is pulling her brain stem down into her spinal cord. This can be very painful and can be life threatening but in her case isn't at this time. They would do surgery before that was an issue. This is apparently a common problem with Spina Bifida. I had read on this prior to her MRI and actually had a feeling she might be diagnosed with that. She also has some cyst on her spine which are also common to Spina Bifida. I have to be honest that I don't remember what they said would be done about them. We were given so much information I was overloaded!

Her brain scan was what was so unexpected. I will try to explain as best I can and will also give you the names of the brain maladies. First let me say that the doctors know for certain that all of her brain damage occurred during the second trimester of pregnancy. It could not have been prevented at birth and we can't fix it. Nothing that was done to her after birth caused this and somehow that was easier for me to accept than if I was told that if we got her earlier we could have stopped it. On both the right and left side of her brain there are areas that just didn't develop. So she is literally missing part of her brain. There is another area in the frontal lobe where the grey matter didn't develop properly. Where you and I have large peaks and valleys she has small ones but way more. She also has another area with damage but I have to ask them again about it because I am confused what it is!

polymicrogyria

Schizencephaly

Gray matter heterotopia

This explains why she isn't talking. We have an appointment in January with a Neurologist because we are pretty sure she is having seizures. The good news through all of this is that Hannah is learning sign language, understands English, follows instructions. All of this really surprised the doctor and pleased him. In my heart I know that she will be alright and will do well in life. She of course has a long way to go because for 7 years no one tried to teach her anything. She is so precious to us and does the sweetest things. She can also be quite the little stinker! :) I can ask her to get me a diaper and wipes and she will hand them to me. She helps me sort and do the laundry! She will help feed the babies. She plays with her doll, wiping it bottom, feeding it a bottle, and rocking it in the swing. I never want to limit her because of a MRI report and I don't want others to see her as different. We will expect the most from her and treat her like all of our other children never excepting less than her best.

She has a couple of surgeries that we will be considering over the next year so we would ask you to keep us in your prayers. I know how fragile her emotions are with everything being so new and different for her. I am asking God to lead us as to the best time to think about having her go through such a a painful ordeal.

Thank you all for your prayers and for continueing to follow our story even though I am so bad about updating! I am grateful to you all! I probably won't write here again until after Christmas as we leave Thursday to go to our family in Al. We will be there for 10 days and some will be meeting the children for the first time. I promise to take lots of pictures and update you all after! God Bless and have a wonderful Christmas!