MRI update

Brigid had an MRI yesterday.

The doctors wanted to get a better look at what was going on with her trachea. It seems it's unusual for tracheomalacia to occur in just one small spot like hers does. Her attending physician ordered some echocardiograms (ultrasounds of her heart) to see if they could determine whether something was pressing on her trachea from the outside. She suspected maybe a vascular ring (a ring of blood vessels).

The echo gave them the idea that there was something there, but they could not tell exactly what. So yesterday they took her down to radiology to do an MRI. The procedure lasted very long, but she tolerated it beautifully. She is so tiny that they had to keep turning her at different angles to try to get just the right shot of what they were looking for.

But they finally got it, and what they believe they're seeing is a double aortic arch. It's something that we all have as developing embryos, but usually, parts of the arch eventually deteriorate and we're left with only one main aortic arch. The arch shape of the aorta, which is the artery that pumps blood from the heart to the rest of the body, normally only occurs on one side of the trachea and esophagus. In her case, it has formed two arches, one on either side of her trachea and esophagus, and they are pressing against her airway, causing the malacia.


It is very good to have an answer to what is happening. It's also very good to know that tracheal reconstructive surgery is not needed. It's scary, though, to think about a heart surgery to correct this abnormality. It's hard not to be sarcastic and cynical...I keep thinking things like, "Great, like she hasn't been through enough already." I just want my baby to be safe and healthy and normal. I want her to be able to grow and come home with us to live. I don't want her to have to go through anything else - she has been through so very much already.

And she's not even supposed to be born for seven more weeks. She should be safe and snug inside my belly, kicking around, sucking her thumb, having the hiccups. Instead, she's on a ventilator and has a tube up her nose and probes all over. She's poked and prodded and sedated and paralyzed and I have to ask somebody if I can come into her room to see her, if I can touch her, hold her, kiss her.

I think it's all wearing on me just a little bit, but God is good. He formed her in my womb, he loves her, and he knows about this double arch. It's not a surprise to him. I'm praying he will keep her safe during any procedures she needs to correct it.