Sophie the Shunt turns Two!

I should preface this by saying I've been home sick for a few days, and I'm totally hopped up on cold meds...so if this reads a little crazy...my bad.


So after last year's shunt birthday post, it was highly recommended that we name Maddie's shunt. Seemed like a no-brainer...we name everything else, from loveys to bath toys...and being that this is actually a part of Maddie, it is also part of the family. So what to name it? It needed to be tough...because, obviously Maddie's tough, and her shunt has worked perfectly for 2 glorious years now...so no pansy-names would do. It needed to be a girl name, because anything else just seemed weird. And it needed to fit...you know how some people's names just "fit"? Like I remember after I delivered Mason, the lactation consultant that met with me in the hospital was named "Flo"...go figure. (I came very close to using that same name for the shunt, for the same obvious reasons, but nothing can beat a lactation consultant named Flo...just sayin.)

So, on our two year anniversary date of Maddie's shunt, I am happy to introduce Sophie. She has been a hard-working, well-behaved shunt for two years, and I am so very grateful. She has allowed my girl to go above and beyond the expectations that anyone ever dreamed possible. We have never made a trip to the ER...ever. (and I'm knocking on wood as I type) We have only had a couple of moments of concern...that thankfully, turned out to be nothing. Shunts are tricky little things. It is always in the back of my mind, every time she falls and bumps her head, every time she gets sick, and every time anything seems amiss...I automatically think to blame Sophie...which doesn't seem fair considering how good she's been to us. But that's how this relationship works. She works hard to keep dangerous fluids from putting pressure on Maddie's brain, and I work hard to make sure she's still up to the challenge. So today I am so happy and grateful for this shunt, and I am saying Happy 2nd Birthday Sophie! I hope we have many more together...