Hospital visit yields bittersweet results for Little Lukas
Lukas turned four years old this year, and a very difficult four years they've been.
A recent MRI has finally given Lukas Etsebeth and his family the answers they were looking for regarding his physical and mental condition.
Lukas was born on 20 January 2015, weighing 3,7kg and measuring 51cm in length. At his routine six-week checkup, his parents, Koos and Janine, were told that he had bleeding on his brain. Fortunately, at the 12-week checkup, the bleeding had stopped, but there was still too much fluid around his brain.
Following that diagnosis, a shunt was inserted to drain the excess fluid away.
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He would undergo numerous surgeries and procedures in the hope of restoring his health. But, while the fluid issue was resolved, he still couldn’t stand, walk or speak, and to combat the standing and walking issues, Lukas began physiotherapy in February/ March last year.
Lukas has undergone a few operations to insert Botox into his legs in an attempt to develop some strength in his legs and feet and help him learn to stand, and hopefully one day he will walk on his own. He underwent his most recent Botox surgery in February this year, which went a long way towards helping him.
Despite seemingly finding a solution to the standing and walking problem, the Etsebeths still didn’t have an answer for the issues with Lukas’ speech and general development. This all seemed to change in February as well, however, after years of expensive research and blood tests, when they took Lukas in for an MRI.
The results have finally provided some answers for the Etsebeths as they found that there was a growth on one of his vertebrae which is thankfully not malignant. But, most importantly, they finally got a possible answer for why he has been experiencing developmental issues – a part of his cerebellum never developed, but his brain is not damaged in any way. The only way to handle the issues is through ongoing therapy.
