We have a surgery date for Emily!!

The last time that we went to the wound care clinic, the MD there (Dr. Holm) recommended that we see a plastic surgeon. Dr. Holm said that he could keep trying different dressings, ointments, etc., but that Emily's ulceration just wasn't getting better. He recommended Dr. Siddiqi (Chief of Plastic Surgery at PCMC).

We saw Dr. Siddiqi last Monday at the Plastic Surgery Clinic. He took one look at Emily's hemangioma/ulceration and said that it needed to be removed. What a relief!!! I wish that we would have done this four months ago. The hemangioma itself has never bothered me... It's been the dang ulceration and infections!!

Dr. Siddiqi wants to do an MRI of Emily's trunk/abdomen first. Some kids with multiple hemangiomas can have internal hemangiomas. Although Emily only has one external, he wants to make sure that she doesn't have any hemangiomas on her liver, etc. The MRI is scheduled for January 19th at PCMC. She will have to be sedated for this... She has to go without food for several hours before the MRI is done. What a treat that will be...

I just talked to Dr. Siddiqi's office and the surgery is scheduled for January 21st. Dr. Siddiqi said that it's going to be a pretty major surgery... Depending on the elasticity of the skin, she will most likely come home with a wound vac to speed up the healing and then have skin grafts to close the wound. She will at least stay overnight (due to probably having IV morphine and the like).

After Dr. Siddiqi explained everything to me, he remarked that I was incredibly calm. I told him that honestly, it's a relief to have an end in sight and to know she will finally heal. Poor little girl has been through so much... Plus, we have been dealing with this for so long now.

I feel that Emily is in good hands and although it will be a long process, she will finally be on the road to recovery. We have been so grateful for Dr. Gould, Dr. Holm and the Wound Care Clinic, and all of our friends and family that have been so concerned.