So Carter has begun taking the beta blocker medication for the hemangioma on his forehead. We met with his pediatrician and asked a thousand questions about this medication in babies. He said he had personally used it on two other babies who had them in locations that would have been inoperable and said it worked very well. But it is basically kind of uncharted territory. He didn't have a lot of answers to our questions, and of course we had googled everything we could find on it. Carter had to go in for a base blood pressure reading, and the doctor felt of the hemangioma and measured it. He goes once a week for a blood pressure check and the doctor takes measurements and feels of it each time. Courtney is taking pictures to chart the progress. He has been taking the medication for a week and a half and already it has greatly reduced in size and appearance. When he started, the skin was very red and tight-looking where it was bulging out. Now, it is much softer, smaller in diameter and has a different appearance. The only side effects noticeable are that Carter is really tired for a short time after he takes the medication (he takes 3 doses a day). So we are very hopeful that this will speed the reduction of this.
His last weight check was 10 lbs. 2 oz. He has like 2 or 3 chins now! He is fascinated with ceiling fans! If there is one in a room, he cranes his neck to stare at it no matter which way you turn him. And he is starting to make little cooing noises, but usually acts surprised when it happens. I told Courtney, in a short time, he will be doing that non-stop and probably at inopportune times! He now holds his head steady for long periods of time and is getting stronger by the day. And he wiggles and riggles all over. Still hoping he can sit in a bumbo seat by Christmas - will make for really cute pictures!
More later...
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