Emma Angel update
 

Hi Everyone!

Emma had liver shunt surgery on June 9th and is now doing well. She is very spunky. :) her stitches were removed Tuesday, 6/23 and the scar is healing nicely. In another 2 weeks we will stop giving her the Metrnidozole and pray that she stays well and does not get sick again vomiting bile. Please pray for her recovery.

As you know, Emma ended up with an eye ulcer after the surgery due to the anesthesia. It was the 2nd time she ended up with an eye ulcer---1st time after the ultrasound. Eye ulcers are not common so suspicion was raised about an underlying eye problem. Bingo! We returned to Tufts today and saw an ophthamologist. The eye ulcer is just about gone. But today her eyes were tested for Glaucoma/cataracts/ and tear production. She was a real brave trooper! The only issue she has is the lack of tear production in her left eye (eye ulcer eye) so she has a case of dry eye. She now has to have Refresh Celluvisic ( over the counter) eye drops 4x a day. She is also going to get cyclosporine ointment ($45.00 for a tiny tube) 2x a day to try and encourage tear production. Tufts will try to medically manage her eye issue which means she will get the drops and ointment for the rest of her life.

The diagnosis is "lacrimal gland hypoplasia." This means that the tear producing gland is small or absent. If the condition can't be managed medically, I would have to consider surgery to move one of the ducts that empties saliiva to the eye. The surgery is called "parotid duct transposition." Poor Emma! Please pray that her dry eye can be managed forever with just the eye dops and the ointment.

So, again, please keep Emma Angel in your prayers so that she recovers completly from the LS surgery and that her eye gets better or stays managed with the medication.

Emma will need to return to Tufts in 2 months for another recheck of the eye.

Thanks for your support and prayers.
DAB

Thank you for the update! We'll definitely be keeping her in our prayers.

Prayers for your baby coming your way!

Way to go Emma.