Music to my ears

M had her neurosurgery follow up yesterday. We saw our favorite NP who, as usual, spent a lot of time thoroughly examining M and chatting with me. For the very first time since we first found out about M and starting talking to doctors, I heard the words I've been waiting to hear: "There is no PVL (click here to learn more) noted on her scans at this time." Doctors have been very careful, as they should be, not to give guarantees or false hope. I completely and totally understand that it is impossible to know the extent of the damage to M's brain from her bleeds and hydrocephalus for years to come. However, to hear that there is no PVL visualized on her scans is absolute music to my ears! M continues to have a leak around her shunt which causes fluid build-up on the back of her head. It swells and then goes down throughout the day. She is, for the most part, happy and comfortable. She is eating well (VERY well) and alert. It seems that her ventricles are equilibrating and it is just going to take some time for her body to adjust to this new shunt system. We will continue to watch her closely and say healing prayers.