Gage's Doctor Apt.

I will first post about Gage's Doc. apt at Shriner's hospital and then I will post about our EXCITING mini vacation in Chicago!

When we arrived at the hospital we had to register Gage and then we waited in a fun little waiting room. It didn't take long for the nurse to come in and take us back to the room. She weighed Gage and got all of his measurements.

After a few minutes the resident doctor came in and asked us all about Gage. He basically got all of our background information. He then looked Gage over and sent us to get X-rays.

Gage was a great little baby until we got his X-rays! The girls were very nice and gentle when they were doing them but they had to make his hands flat against the table and then hold them there... I think it was pretty uncomfortable for him! He screamed his almost bald little head off!! I felt so bad but knew it was going to benefit him so I just spoke softly in his ear and told him everything was going to be ok!!

After the traumatizing X-rays it took Boo about 20 minutes to calm down! We walked back to our room where we were greeted by the hospital social worker. She too asked us lots of questions about Gage and how we came to find out about the hospital and such! Then a nurse came in and pretty much asked us the same questions! They are VERY complete with there check ups!!

So, finally the doctor in charge of Gage's case came in! He gave us lots of information about Amniotic Band Syndrome. He also checked out the baby! He stripped him down to his diaper and looked him over really well!

Much of the information he gave us information that we already knew!! But we also have an apt. to see the hand specialist in March. He will be able to tell us exactly what they will do for his hands!

THINGS WE ALREADY KNEW:
Gage will grow up to be normal and be able to do most of what everyone else can do.
His feet are fine and he will be able to walk normally.
His will be able to use his hands.

THINGS WE DID NOT ALREADY KNOW:
All of Gage's fingers will grow proportionally to what they are now. (Meaning: his small fingers will always be small but they will grow just like the other fingers)

Gage's nub will most-likely need to be removed because the skin around it is so tight.

He has bands around the bottom of his legs... we thought they were just FAT Rolls because he is so big but really they are from the ABS! The doc said that Gage is very fortunate because the bands do not go all the way around his legs! If they would have done that they could have cut off his feet completely!! PRAISE GOD!! We had no idea that the bands on his legs were part of the ABS we really just thought they were fat rolls! I will post pictures later so you can see what I am talking about!

The doctor we saw Thursday reassured us that he was not the expert on ABS or on hands so we should have a lot more information when we go back in March!

Overall I feel like Gage was well taken care of there. Everyone was very nice and kind to all of us. They were able to give us a TON of information. They even set us up with a Geneticist to see if they can figure out "why" this happened, if it will happen again, and if Gage could pass this on to his children! I am really excited about this apt. as well because it will be nice to finally have some answers to all of the questions I have had for so long!!