Katie and The Bump

I know what you're thinking - not a "baby bump."  Not yet, anyway!  ;)

"The Bump" was a pea-sized dermoid cyst on Katie's forehead, near her temple.  She'd had it since birth. Dermoid cysts are extremely common and almost always benign.  And even though her hair usually covers it up, we decided to have it removed.  I wrestled with the decision, because I really do believe my precious darling is perfect exactly as she is.  But the thing about these cysts is, they can grow bigger.  Her doctor said he had a 15-year-old patient last week with a cyst the size of a golf ball on her head!!  I didn't want little Katie looking like a cartoon character who's been whacked with an oversized mallet.

So...yesterday was the procedure.  The surgeon did it endoscopically, so the stitches are hidden under Katie's hair (underneath a lot of weird hospital-smelling goo.)  The Bump is gone!  Anthony and I are so happy it's all over.  We worried ourselves silly over this - not only the procedure, which had to be done under general anesthesia, but about the whole ordeal.  We had to stop feeding Katie at midnight, which is no biggie in itself, but she is pretty demanding about wanting her bottle immediately when she wakes up!  We thought the drive to the hospital would be one big scream-fest.  It turned out that our fears were unfounded.  Katie must be a morning person.  I've never met anyone who could be that cheerful and chatty after being awakened at 5:45, in the dark, and buckled into a car seat for a 35-minute drive to the hospital.

Anyway, this event has reminded me how incredibly lucky we are to have a healthy child.  My heart goes out to all the parents who have had to spend time in hospital waiting rooms, worrying about their precious babies.  We were so stressed out over a simple, minimally-invasive procedure. I can only imagine what it must be like if your child's life really hangs in the balance.  Kisses, hugs and prayers to all those who have ever endured such terrible anxiety!