This is Meghan's story that I printed in her cookbook "Seasoned with Meghan's Love".
My name is Meghan Paige Adcock. My mommy and daddy are Ray & Vanessa Adcock. I was born on November 22, 2009 at UNC Women's Hospital. I was born with Myelomeningocele (Spina Bifida), Chiari Malformation Type II, Hydrocephalus, Neurogenic Bladder and Bilateral Hydronephrosis. Spina Bifida is when the skin doesn't close completely over a section of the spine. I had to have surgery the day after I was born to close the Spina Bifida defect. Both of my sides have relaxing incisions so the skin would stretch over my spine. Over the next few days I had tests and ultrasounds to monitor my recovery. I had several ventricle taps because the spinal fluid was not draining properly. A ventricle tap is when a needle is inserted into the soft spot to remove fluid. I would feel better afterwards, but the fluid continued to build up. On December 4, 2009 I went back into surgery to have a ventriculo-peritoneal (vp) shunt placed in my head. The doctors could tell within a day that the shunt was working. My bladder doesn't empty completely. At first I had to be catherized every four hours. My mommy catherizes me three times a day now. I had to stay in the NCCC at UNC for three weeks. My mommy, daddy, big sister Tiffany and grandma visited often. My big sister, Jennifer, couldn't visit because she was too little. She drew a picture for me and mommy taped it to my bed. Mommy would take pictures of me each day to show to Jennifer when she got home. My mommy came to be with me every day. We would rock and eat! My mommy loved cuddling with me!!! Nurse Lauren taught mommy how to change my bandages, cathing and how to hold me until my wounds healed. When my mommy had to leave Miss Lauren would take care of me. She was my best friend. I had lots of great nurses taking care of me. They would spoil me when mommy went home each day!! The big day is finally here - December 11, 2009. I finally get to go home. It took forever before we finally got to leave. I was afraid they weren't going to let me go home, but mommy said we were going home even if we just had to walk out!! When my mommy makes up her mind you better watch out!! I finally got to meet Jennifer. She was so happy to see me that she wouldn't put me down!! I was beginning to settle in at home with my family. I would take naps with my mommy in her bed when no one else was home. Then we would cuddle on the couch. When my sisters and daddy got home I didn't see my mommy much anymore! Everybody wanted to spend time with me. I was thinking it's only so much of me to go around! My mommy stayed with me for 3 fun months, but then she had to go back to work. She had only been back to work for one week when I got sick. We went to the doctor and she said I had RSV. I had to spend another week in the hospital. This time we were in ICU at Granville Medical Center. I took my medicine so I could get all better. Daddy said mommy had to go back to work (yuck)! Life was going along great. Daddy would take me to the babysitter and mommy would pick me up. We would go to see the doctors so they could see how great I was doing. The doctors said my head was getting bigger, but they were just going to watch it for now. On May 18 we went to UNC for a routine CT scan. While mommy was feeding me she saw my doctor, Miss Gretchen. She went to check the results before we left so we wouldn't have to wait until our next visit to know what they saw. We should have just gone home when we had the chance because I ended up in emergency surgery within the hour. My mommy was so upset calling daddy and grandma. Mis Gretchen said my shunt had stopped working. Dr. Perry told mommy not to worry because he was going to take care of me again. Dr. Perry fixed me up, we spent the night and went home the next day. I really hope that will be my last hospital stay for awhile. I don't think mommy can handle all this stress, she needs a break!! After the hospital stay in May life was going really good for me. The best mommy and daddy and two sisters that spoil me, what more could I want. One afternoon in July, mommy picked me up from Mrs. Joan's (my babysitter) and I had a fever and had been sick during the day. Mommy took me to the ER at Granville Medical Center. After a bunch of tests the doctor said I had a UTI and my sodium and potassium were low. The nurses gave me some fluids and still did more tests before they said I could go home. We had to go to the pediatrician the next morning. Dr. T still wasn't happy with my levels so he called our good friends at UNC. It looked like we were going to Chapel Hill again. This time mommy couldn't take me. We had to go back to the ER at Granville, have an IV put in and go by ambulance to UNC. Of course this ended up taking all day. Finally UNC came to get me and off we went to the Pediatric ER at UNC. Of course after more tests I was invited to stay with them for a few days! Mommy was prepared this time, she had daddy bring a suitcase with our clothes for us. I had to stay for 3 days. They wanted to make sure my levels were normal and I was eating good again. I had lost 2 pounds while I was sick so they were trying to feed me a lot!! That didn't really sound like a lot of fun to me. Finally we were able to go home. Since July I have had a lot of UTI's. In November I am having a DMSA test (a scan of the kidneys). After this test the doctor may do a procedure to deflux my bladder. Mrs. Kim comes on Thursdays and Fridays for PT now. I am sitting up by myself some. Mommy and daddy say I'm doing great and they are very proud of me!!
