I Don't Want to be an Owl!

Because of Catherine's brain tumor being on her optic nerves, we have always been worried about her losing her vision.  We know several people who have had this brain tumor who have lost their vision, or much of it.  Many of their moms have told me that the kids lost their vision from "the outside in," which means that they lost their peripheral vision first.

We take Catherine to a pediatric opthamologist and a neuro-opthamologist several times per year to have her vision tested.  So far all the doctors have said is that she has lost some peripheral vision.  But, her brain tumor shrunk to almost nothing (there is just a little "remnant) with the chemo and there has been no re-growth since March 2009.  So, we have felt fairly confident that her vision was fine.  Maybe not perfect, but fine.

A few months ago we read a book about owls and learned that they cannot turn their eyes in their sockets, so they have to turn their heads more than other animals.  We practiced how owls have to turn their entire head to look at things to the side.

So last week, while I was getting the girls in the car, Catherine started to cry and said "I don't want to be an owl!"  I had no idea what she was talking about and asked her to explain.

She said she wanted to be able to look to the side without turning her head.  She said that she didn't want to be an owl and have to turn her head all the time.  I asked if she had more trouble seeing things to the side than usual, but she really couldn't answer. I asked her if things were blurry, and she said no.

Of course I have worried about her statement.  I try not to worry, but how can I avoid it?  Her next regularly scheduled brain MRI is set for September 8.  Other than her statement, there have been no other signs of possible vision loss. 

Praying not to worry and claiming her statement was just a silly comment by a young child!