Bump, Stitches, Headaches, Sinuses and Cerebral Spinal Fluid

This has been an interesting couple of weeks.  About 7 weeks ago, I brought my three youngest children to the doctor.  It turned out that my youngest had strep throat.  My next youngest had symptoms of strep, but ended up not having it.  At the appointment though, the doctor was concerned about a bump on his neck that had been growing.  She referred me to get an appointment with a dermatologist.  My daughter had been having horrible headaches, so she wanted us to get her in for a brain MRI in six weeks. 

Last Monday (the 6th), my 7 year-old son had athe bump on his neck removed.  I am the mommy.  I stood there and held his hands, as I stood by his feet, the whole time staring directly at the ground.  My three year-old was in the room too.  She came up and got between my chin and my feet and watched the whole surgery.  She was completely intrigued.  I am not sure exactly what she saw, because if I would have looked, I would have passed out immediately.  I know myself well enough to be able to say that.  He got two stitches in his neck.  She watched that too. 

The bump on his neck

My toddler wanted a photo of her neck taken also.  So, I took a picture of her neck, to appease her.

Her neck

I got the report back a few days later that it was a benign cyst.  That is always good news to hear the word "benign" or "negative" when coming from a doctor and discussing something that had been removed from the body.  I was never a fan though, when I was hoping to be pregnant, and I would hear the words "negative."  That seems like the only time when "negative" coming from the doctor, was actually negative news for me.  He does seem to be allergic to bandages though.

Stitches and allergic reaction to bandage

My 10 year-old has been suffering from headaches for several months now.  Recently, they started getting so bad that the light and noise affected her to the point of tears.  It was then that I decided to have her looked at by the doctor.  We were told to do a food journal, make sure she is hydrated and get her an MRI in six weeks.  Well, six weeks was this Monday (Apr 13).  She had her MRI. 

Going into the MRI

I have had an MRI before.  I had to take Valium before going in the tube.  I am not a fan of them, but I know they are necessary at times.  She was perfectly fine with it.  They gave her goggles that played a movie for her.  She chose "The Hunger Games."  I think the MRI wasn't long enough for her.  She would have preferred to watch the whole movie.

I was told that we should have the results by Wednesday.  The doctor was only in her office half a day on Wednesday, so we got the results on Thursday.  She has fluid in her sinuses which is usually a sign of a viral or bacterial infection.  The doctor gave her a prescription for zithromax to see if that helps.

She also has a spot where the cerebral spinal fluid in her brain is dilated more than average for someone her age.  The doctor doesn't seem too concerned about it because there is not a mass that is causing this.  She said it is an incidental finding, as this shouldn't be what is causing the headaches.  The MRI is going to be repeated in nine months to see if there has been any change. 

Getting the movie goggles on

I have told myself that I am not going to "WEBMD" what this could be.  It seems that only comes up with horrible things.  I don't want to see horrible things, especially when it very likely nothing. 

My 7 year-old got his stitches out yesterday.  It seems that the removal was more painful than having them put in.  He was brave about it though. 

I am hoping that my visits to the doctor are about over for my children.  If the medication doesn't help her headaches, she will be referred to a neurologist.  I am guessing she just suffers from migraines.  They seem to run in my family.  :( 

I am hoping and praying that the headaches subside and she doesn't need to go to a neurologist.  We shall see!