Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Surgery Plan




I just got off the phone with Dr. Mulliken in Boston. He wants to do Riley's surgery in 2 stages. He will do a lip adhesion and some work to the nostril on the left side (because it is more cleft than the right) within the next month or so. This procedure will take approx an hour to do and we will spend the night in the hospital. Her stiches will dissolve and the trip should take about 4 days. He will do the complete lip repair when Riley is around 5 months old. This will be a much more involved surgery and will take around 8 hours. We will spend atleast a week or longer in Boston for the 2nd surgery. Doing the repair in 2 stages will give Riley the best, most symmetrical result. Dr. Mulliken says she will not have any of the problems that normally come with clefts--speech difficulties, ear infections, differences in facial growth--since her palate is intact! We are so thankful!! I will let everyone know as soon as we get her surgery date. Please pray that Riley stays healthy and her first surgery goes as well as planned.

Riley is doing great. She sleeps like an angel--which I am not used to b/c Sawyer was not a good sleeper until around 7 months old! I hope she stays that way! She's feeding well and is staying awake a little more during the day.

Sawyer is a great big brother. He loves to hold her (by himself) and help me feed her by holding her bottle (by himself). He takes diapers to the trash for me and helps me bathe her. He is so funny in the things he says. He can't understand why she doesn't have shoes, "Her lost them, Mama?"

6 comments:

Joy Howse said...

They are both so darn cute. I am not kidding you, I saw the second picture and my first thought was, "where did she get that cute babydoll with a cleft? i want one of those dolls." And then, DUH!!! that's baby Riley. She is just so darn adorable and looks like a little baby doll. Glad to hear she is a good sleeper and eater. That makes life so much more enjoyable. i look forward to hearing more updates as surgery approaches. Enjoy every moment, they grow up too fast.

Allison said...

Congratulations on all of the good news and that beautiful little Riley girl! What a blessing that her palate is in-tact! Abby's was too, and she has the same notch in the gum-line on the left side, and her left nostril was also affected. Although her lip was a unilateral cleft, everything else is very similar to sweet Riley.

What a gorgeous girl!

-Allison

Ashley Hester said...

Taylor says Sawyer looks so happy! I thought that was sweet.

Anonymous said...

So,so proud all is going well for ya'll. Continued prayers for ya'll also. She is precious as I am sure you've been told.
donie

amanda said...

Hello! and congratulations on your beautiful baby girl!

John, Shannon, Broderick, Camden, and Adalynn said...

Adorable little lady and such a sweet big brother!!! She is beautiful. You are blessed!

I would love the contact info for Dr. Mulliken if you are allowed to share. I really think that is the way we will be going. It just seems to be where the Lord is leading us.