Surgery Update

On Monday, September 2024 Billy was back at University Medical Center/New Orleans OR for the second (and final) surgery to resolve excess water on the brain (hydrocephalus).
The procedure he was having done involved inserting a shunt, in his case behind his ear, to help his brain remove the amount of water on the brain.

Hydrocephalus is a chronic, neurological condition caused by an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) within the cavities (ventricles) of the brain. Hydrocephalus happens when there is an imbalance between the amount of CSF produced and the rate at which it is absorbed.

Shunt: The most common treatment for hydrocephalus is a medical device called a shunt. This is a flexible tube that is placed in the ventricular system of the brain that diverts the flow of CSF to another part of the body, most often the abdominal cavity, or heart, where it can be absorbed. The shunt system has a valve that maintains CSF at normal pressure within the ventricles.

Billy was already at the hospital, so the medical team got an early start. He was in the operating room at 7:00 am. His surgeon came out to talk to me after the 2 hour surgery. After another 2 hours I was allowed to see him in post-op. I stopped in my tracks. He looked so good! He was simply sleeping. He was’t propped up on any pillows, he was simply lying on his back, his hands resting on his belly. He had such a calm assurance about that put me at ease right away.

It wasn’t long before the Neuro P.A. (Physician Assistant) opened the curtain. She was there to do her post-op evaluation which involves pinching his arms and yelling at him to open his eyes. We’d heard it before, “BILLY! OPEN YOUR EYES! CAN YOU OPEN YOUR EYES!” And he did! For the first time, in response to a voice he had never heard before.