Mattie’s birthday bash went fabulously! She enjoyed the icing 🙂 I wanted to take her in the pool for the first time, but the water was a little too chilly for her. We had around 50 people come to celebrate this amazing milestone! Thank you to all that came, sent messages, or gifts! It is always much appreciated!!

I posted a few pics on facebook. So go check out her Hope for Mattie page (and Like It)!

Our Preemie Display

Yummmmmmmmy Icing!

We had a 3^rd opinion ophthalmologist appointment last week and on Monday I took her back to her original ophthalmologist. Here is a little background info:

We were referred by Mattie’s neurologist to go see Dr. W due to Mattie having crossed eyes (strabismus). I knew Mattie’s eyes were crossing but I thought it would just go away since sometimes babies eyes cross. So we went to see Dr. W when Mattie was 5 months old. Dr. W told us to start patching her right eye to help strengthen her left eye. We did this 3 times a week for 4 months and saw no noticeable difference. She does not have a “bad” case of eye crossing, but it does happen when she looks at things closely or gets tired.

Now it is January and Mattie is 9 months old. I had made an appointment with another highly recommended ophthalmologist, Dr. H. We go see her and her recommendation is eye patching everyday and glasses! I was in shock! Did they even make glasses for a 9 month old who is really the size of a 5 month old??? Well, it turns out they do… at my 1^st ophthalmologist! Well, I opt to not get glasses for Mattie and we continue to patch. At this point I am still not satisfied with Mattie’s progress and my friend recommends Dr. G, a Neurologist Ophthalmologist. Perfect!!! I feel like he will lead us the right direction: patching, glasses, or surgery… So I have to wait until… April.

Well… three opinions later, the unexpected happens, Dr. G says DO NOTHING!!! I am like WHAT????!!!!!?????? What do you mean do nothing????? He thinks her eyes are now crossing very minimally and does not know why we are even patching! Then Dr. G proceeds to tell me that he thinks she has something called Duane’s Syndrome. He thinks she turns her head to the side of the affected eye to compensate for the movement limitations of the eye and to maintain vision. Hmmmm I have not EVER noticed this nor have the other TWO ophthalmologists we have seen. Surgery when Mattie is 4-5 years old is the recommended plan of action. I leave his office more confused than I had been.

We decided to keep the appointment for this past Monday with our original ophthalmologist and fill her in on what we had been told the past 4 months. We hold off telling Dr. W anything until she is done with Mattie’s exam. Dr. W then surprises us by saying she thinks Mattie’s eyes have made improvements and to discontinue patching (ok, we are now on the same page as Dr. G). I tell Dr. W that Mattie’s left eye continues to turn inward in some situations. She asks that we take a picture that she can blow up since Mattie is not crossing her eyes during the 15 minutes we see Dr. W. I then admit we have gotten other opinions (I feel like a traitor), and she loves that fact we saw Dr. G, the Neurologist Ophthalmologist! When I mention to her about the Duane’s Syndrome she takes another look at Mattie but does not see what he is talking about but says she will keep an “eye” on it. I finally feel “good” about Mattie’s eye progress and decided that we will stick with Dr. W for the time being…

So the conclusion to this ridiculous 3^rd Opinion Eye Doctor is NO MORE EYE PATCHING AND NOT SO FUNNY PIRATE JOKES…

Here are some pictures of Mattie with her eye patch (yes they are sparkly and coordinate with her attire… she is a princess you know!)

Mattie – 5 Months Old

I ROCK this eye patch!

Yes… Those are sparkles!

In all my glory: eye patch, arm brace, and AFO’s (leg braces)

This past Saturday… See my eye does turn in!!!