Little brother Max: May 31st...1 more day until Max's palate surgery!!!

Ahhhhh.......What a life! Kickin' back, relaxing with my whittle head on a comfy pillow and getting chauferred around. It doesn't get any better!

We have been pretty busy here at "The Green" residence. Shortly after we arrived home with Max, Max had a couple of appointments with his doctors. The Craniofacial Center specialists evaluated Max and have decided a plan of care. Max will have surgery to correct his palate first. He will also have tubes placed in his ears. His left ear poses a potential problem as the doctors are unsure whether Max has an ear canal in that ear. When Max is under anesthesia they will be able to better visualize it and determine what the proper steps should be. If Max has no ear canal in that ear, we will leave it alone.

The surgery will take place on Friday June 1st, just one more day! We brought him for his pre op testing on May 24th. Max will be hospitalized for 3-5 days for the surgery. His diet, as you would expect, will consist of mostly clear liquids, then full liquids. His diet will progress along with the healing of the palate.

I'm pretty nervous about his surgery but I know he is in great hands. Everyone that knows Max's doctor says he is excellent as well as the other specialists that are part of the team.

I will stay with Max and Dan and Sonja will sleep at the hotel. I might get one night at the hotel if all goes well but we will see (that is, if Dan stays with Max). Max usually sleeps like a log and doesn't stir at all at night. I'm hoping that is the case in the hospital. As long as he gets good pain control, hydration and nutrition he will be just fine. I'm unsure of where I will be sleeping. I'm hoping that they will have a bed or a cardiac chair (which is like a recliner) that I can sleep in but I guess beggers can't be choosers. If I am lucky enough to get a bed, I will be golden!

Dr. Tatum, Max's facial plastic surgeon, said Max will be medicated enough to make him cranky yet fairly comfortable but not so much as to decrease his respirations the first day. The hope is that he will be comfortable enough to take fluids via the Soft sipp cup or other method. It is important that whatever method is used, Max doesn't have to suck as that can damage the surgically repaired palate
His lip repair will take place in the future and that will be determined at a later date. If the repair of the lip and palate were to take place at the same time, the lip would stretch and rip and therefore, surgery would be useless. The decision to repair the palate first is due to his age. The specialists and I both think the speech is the most important issue at present. Bad habits forming words and sounds can be difficult to change if left uncorrected.

Max seems to have a fairly high pain tolerance/threshold. He has had some squabbles with Sonja and has been at the receiving end of one of Sonja's heel strikes to the back of his head! He just turned his head to the left like "what was that" kind of gesture.
Max will be having a speech therapist come to our home as soon as possible after his surgery. I have spoke with the head of Early Intervention and he will be coming to our home the day before the surgery. Due to him having a cleft lip/palate, he automatically qualifies for speech therapy through Early Intervention. They will be coming into our home and starting speech therapy with Max right after his surgery. The sooner, the better.
I have been teaching Max sign language. He loves to mimic so he is learning fairly quickly, especially food signs (of course). He also know the signs for "all gone" "apple" "cookie" "drink" and "eat". I found that when I taught Sonja sign language, it seemed to decrease the amount of anxiety she expressed due to her limited vocabulary. I have also read that it may help children learn to speak faster! Sonja spoke a few words in English when we received her (at 10 1/2 months), hot, up, mama and baba. She is now 2 1/2 and has an excellent vocabulary and articulates very well! Maybe there is something to those stories or maybe she was going to do well anyway. In any event, I don't think it can hurt.
We are all doing very well and are keeping busy. We are having lots of fun and adjusting to "family of four" life.
Life truly is good!

Could you please say a few prayers for Max?

I hope you are enjoying following the blog and continue to.

Love to all!

Max and Sonja playing, waiting for Max's first doctors check-up in the U.S.

Two little monkeys jumpin' on the bed.......................none fell down thank God! :)

After Max's appointment we went to the "Build-A-Bear Workshop. That's all Sonja had been talking about and after that long wait in the doctors office, we thought it would be nice. It took Sonja just a few minutes to decide what animal she wanted. After filling it with love and kindness she picked out the clothing (with some help from mommy). A summer outfit with sandals and visor and a 50's style poodle skirt, saddle shoes, and pink neck scarf was the chosen wardrobe. As for Max's turtle "Sheldon" , a karate style gui (sp?) complete with martial arts belts and a motorcycle riding outfit consisting of a Harley Davidson T shirt, "leather" chaps, riding boots and "leather" cap.

Above, Sonja poses for a pic while washing her female doggie "Hanky". What....don't tell me you've never heard of a girl named Hanky?

Sonja giving Max's turtle "Sheldon" a bath while Max smiles for the camera.

" I'm such a good little girl!"

"I'm sing-ing in my spoon... just sing-ing in my spoon...."

Mmmuuuuwwaaaaahhhh!!!!!

The kids love playing in the backyard (that is when you can drag Sonja away from the T.V.). The sandbox and the slides are their favorite things. They also love to ride in Dan's utility wagon/trailor.

Although Max just learned how to walk, he is making up for lost time. He is climbing up and down stairs, trying to run and trying to ride a tricycle. He is a very determined and strong little guy.

I think if Max could articulate more he may be saying "I can do it, I can do it!"

Max relaxing with Daddy on the swing.

Sonja hiding from her brother.

Max and Daddy on the top walkway at "Kids Kingdom"

Our cutie patooties!

We recently went to the Shrine Circus that was visiting our city. The kids had fun watching the show. Max had eyes as big as saucers when he saw the elephants. I was holding him so I was unable to get at picture of him. It was held later in the evening and was close to Max's bedtime so he was not the best candidate for a ride on the elephant. Above, Dan and Sonja are on the back end of the elephant going for a ride.

Sonja trying on her JoJo nose at the circus.

Ana with her JoJo nose on too.

On May 26th we attended a birthday party for Sonja and Max's cousin Drew. Shown above from L to R is Sara ( Drew's lifelong friend) Drew the birthday girl and Sonja