Results

Gabe's CT scan happened yesterday. They sedated him, which made him really loopy for a while afterwards, and did the scan which only took 5-7 minutes or so. He was also given versed, which is a drug which not only causes relaxation, but retrograde amnesia. So Gabe won't remember the 2-3 minutes before he got it (i.e. the IV insertion, which he was understandably not happy about) or anything about the scan or waking up. So that's good. The whole procedure happened very smoothly, and the pediatric sedation team along with the other personnel, child life specialist etc. were all very helpful and pleasant. The pediatric radiologist wasn't there during the scan so we were told that we would have to wait a few hours before our pediatrician could obtain the results.
I called the pediatrician late in the afternoon to remind him that the results would be available, and he called me back fairly promptly. He didn't give too much interpretation of the results, just what the radiologist found. His metopic suture is fused, which you actually could expect as early as 6-8 months of age (although There seems to be some conflicting information about that). However, you would not expect the craniostenosis (ridging) on that suture. The rest of Gabe's sutures are all normal, as is his brain- no squeezing, pinching, or anything concerning.
Thank goodness.
Because the ridging is still abnormal, the pediatrician wants to refer us to craniofacial specialists up in Salt Lake City.
My thoughts: Obviously the metopic suture closed a little bit prematurely, or it fused abnormally, causing the fairly mild ridging Gabe now has. It seems to me that at this point, it probably isn't going to get any worse, and any treatment would be mainly cosmetic. Part of me doesn't want to go to the specialist, perhaps for fear that we would find out that something really is wrong and he needs some sort of invasive, risky treatment. The other part of me needs to know exactly what is going on, and if there is anything we need to do, at least for peace of mind if nothing else. Of course we will take him in to get checked by the specialist. I don't know when that will be yet, but we will continue to give updates as we learn more information.
On a somewhat humorous note, all the stress of this week (from Gabe and otherwise) must be subconsciously affecting BJ and I (of course!) because this morning we each woke up from stressful but hilarious dreams. I dreamed that we had bought a large house, which had an area for a bonfire in the backyard. Lots of people came over and they lit a big bonfire, which started spewing coals and sparks everywhere, until the ground was covered in burning embers. I was the only one in my dream bothered by this. BJ woke up from a dream in which I had persuaded him that it would be really fun and exciting to participate in venomous snake racing (whatever that is- haha). In the dream BJ was holding the snake by its head to keep it from biting him as we were waiting for the race to start, and was using all his might to control it, but it kept wiggling, opening its mouth and baring its teeth, and trying to bite his hand. In the dream, I was not concerned about the snakes, apparently because I worked with snakes and other reptiles during my time at the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum (PS- none of those snakes were venomous).
BJ, you'll have to correct me if I got any of the details wrong.
Anyone an expert at dream interpretation?