Max's Surgery

I love this picture!!!!!

The sweetest of peas!!!

Max after some pre op medication. A little groggy but he still wants to play. He loved the little doctor kit at the hospital as it is simliar to the one we have at home. Maybe an indication of his future profession?

Our little sleeping beauty waiting for her little brother to come out of surgery.

Dan taking a nap while waiting for Max to get out of surgery. I swear he could sleep anywhere!

What a sweet little face!

Max had his palate repair surgery on June 1st. The staff in the PICU did an excellent job keeping Max's pain level tolerable. You could tell he did have some discomfort but that of course is expected. I stayed at the hospital with the exception of going to the hotel room to shower a couple of times.

The sleeping accommodations at the hospital are not the most comfortable to say the least, but it's a place to lay your head down. The chairs pulled out into beds that were more like boards. Not the best situation for someone with my back problems but at least I could be with my little guy.The staff would provide me with sheets, a pillow and blanket.

The staff was always asking if we needed anything and were very attentive.

Max was doing very well but then developed a reaction to the antibiotics. I discontinued them as it was on a Friday evening and I was unable to contact the Dr.s office. I called them on Monday and they said just to D/C it and see how things go.

A few days before his post op appointment his palate repair opened right in the middle where the cleft was the widest. This is not an unusual thing and with moderate to severe clefts (Max's was/is moderate) it sometimes happens. Max's Dr. said it will sometimes close on it's own in time. We are to see him again at the end of July and if it is not closing, he will repair it at the same time as the lip to minimize the amount of times he has surgery. It wasn't done like that initially because it would have been very difficult not to stretch out the lip while doing the repair that Max needed done.

Max also had a tube placed in his right ear for drainage of fluid that frequently accumulates in children born with clefts. His left ear was diagnosed with microtia with atresia which basically means he doesn't have a patent ear canal in that ear. Most patients with one sided microtia leave things alone as long as the hearing in the other ear is good. Max has excellent hearing in his right ear and did even prior to the tube placement. The specialists will continue to follow him and his progress.

He will be evaluated by a local speech therapist next Thursday after which they will decide a plan according to his needs. They will come to our home and give him therapy but I'm unsure how often. Sometimes they come in once a week sometimes more, depending on the needs of the client. Max is already saying a few words but it's difficult for others to understand him like we do. I think he has made big strides since his "Gotcha" day.

I hope this doesn't come acrossed as bragging or boasting but we truely feel so blessed to have our beautiful kids. They are so lovable and smart and we just couldn't imagine our lives without them. We have been given the greatest gift in the world, the gift of life. They make our life complete.