Max

It's been a long night and I should be asleep right now, but rest won't come - I am sick with worry. It's been a long week. On Tuesday I took Max in for his six month checkup, I had no idea that it would lead to anything out of the ordinary. Max has always been at the top of his growth charts, above the 90th percentile. He's my sturdy little guy. His pediatrician has commented before on the large size of his head, but Quincy has a big head too. On Tuesday she said that she would like him to get a CT scan - his head had jumped way up and was above the 95th percentile now. I tried not to worry that my 6 month old was having to get something like that. I kept telling myelf - and everyone kept telling me too, that I'm sure there's nothing wrong - he acts perfectly normal. Besides - he comes from a family of big heads - in some cases literally, in some cases figuratively, and in some cases both. He got the scan on Wednesday. Yesterday morning, Thursday, I took the kids to story time at the library. By the time I got out I had four phone messages from the doctor. My heart sunk - they don't leave you four messages in one hour just to tell you that everything is ok. When I got the messages I was on my way to Wal-Mart to get something special to cook for Valentines Day dinner - steak and shrimp. I pulled over in the Pancake City parking lot to call the doctor. She told me that there is an area of fluid - probably blood, in the front left
area of his head. She tried to get me to think of any kind of hit he may have taken - I can't recall any. She told me that she had called a neurosurgeon in Columbia and arranged for us to see him today - Friday. I tried to find out what she thought was the problem, what would be the solution, what to expect - she really couldn't say. I tried to get her to tell me that everything would be okay, she couldn't say. I spent the rest of the day feeling numb - you tell yourself that everything is ok, but 6 month old baby's shouldn't be seeing neurosurgeons. I scrapped the sugar cookie valentines we were going to make, and the dinner, and spent the afternoon holding my boy while Quincy watched "Cars." Thanks Melissa for the great meal, and for watching Quincy while we take him to the hospital. I'm lucky to have good friends who are so willing to help. Keep Max in your prayers today. He's the sweetest little guy, and my heart is breaking.