T minus six days

We've been thinking about starting this blog for some time now, so that our loved ones could enjoy the cute hi jinx of little baby Sophie. We really wanted to give a feel for our life and the normal ups and downs of having a toddler without focusing on her surgeries.

Alas, we were having so much fun and so busy with our regular days that we didn't get around to starting this sooner. Hopefully there will be a balance of regular stuff as life isn't going to halt because of a medical condition.

For those of you that aren't sure what a giant nevus is, here goes the $.02 description. A nevus is essentially a giant mole which has the potential to turn into melanoma. For this reason, a whole list of pediatric specialists insists it must be removed. Medical stats are hard, but the research shows a 3-20% chance of cancer.Wide range, huh? Click here for nevus.org.

Sophie's nevus covers about 20% of her scalp and forehead. Making her wear a hat or stay out of the sun will not help, the malignant potential is inherent to this type of cell. We should also stress this is not being done for cosmetic reasons. Nobody knows what causes this birth defect, but it is not genetic. Maybe it was that cheeseburger I ate during pregnancy?

To remove the nevus Sophie has to undergo a series of surgeries where tissue expanders are placed under the skin and inflated over 8-12 weeks. This will create 'bubbles' of good tissue which will be used to reconstruct her scalp and forehead.

We have chosen to travel to Case Western's Rainbow Children and Babies in Cleveland after an exhausting period of research when her original surgeon left Pittsburgh's Children's Hospital.

Tuesday, September 15 is the big day. Check back here for updates as we jump down this rabbit hole. I promise it won't be all medical, we'll put the good stuff in too.