Olivia Update & Relaxing

Olivia had her follow-up eye exam for her vision problems in her left eye. The eye doctor has been trying to determine if her vision problem is related to the optic glioma (non-cancerous tumor) on her left optic nerve because of her NF1 or if she has a common vision problem in kids called a "lazy eye."

We have spent the last 3 months patching (covering) her good eye and we got her glasses (and a 2nd pair when she lost the first) - both of these things would have made the left eye stronger if the problem was a lazy eye.

Unfortunately, her vision has gotten worse instead of better, leading the doctor to believe that the vision problem is because of the optic glioma. Typically, with kids who have optic gliomas the specialists take a "watch and see" approach, unless, as in our situation, the kid is affected extremely enough (loss of vision for Olivia) that the recommended treatment is chemotherapy. Yeah, what a big, ugly, scary word.

And I don't even want to talk about the actual appointment with her doctor's backward bedside manner and his way of explaining things by dictating a letter to a colleague and expecting me to follow all the medical talk. Pain in you know where.

Sooo . . . Olivia will have an MRI this coming Monday (May 10) to compare with the one she did in December 2009 to see if her optic glioma is growing. On May 12 she will see a pediatric oncologist at Primary Children's who specializes in treating NF1 optic gliomas. The following week we will go back to her eye doctor to review the MRI and the information we receive from the oncologist. Then sometime in the following week we will see Olivia's NF1 specialist and talk it all over and then ???

Oh, and I need to continue researching so I know all the questions to ask and what all the options are. And between all those appointments Kurt will out of town on a couple different trips. And I'm 7 months pregnant, emotionally out of whack anyways, and I have my own appointments every couple weeks too. And we need to finish up Austin and Nyah's school year. And Olivia and Jolie. And laundry and dishes and . . . and . . . and . . . and . . . and . . . .

So you can see why I needed some good, old-fashioned fun (the kids are fairly oblivious about it all for now). Luckily we have a hot tub down the street.