Plastic Surgery Visit Today--Update

A while back, I mentioned that Nathan would be going to see his plastic surgeon to determine if he will need another surgery to repair the small hole, or fistula, that developed after his first surgery last August. Well, today was the day! And on St. Patrick's Day as well! Driving there this morning I hoped the luck of the Irish would be on my side.

And of course, as I drive to every appointment, I recollect what I've been through with this special little baby boy. More doctor visits than I care to remember, one too many cancelled surgeries, but in the end, I think how lucky I really am. Nathan could have been so much worse off--he could have needed a feeding tube, he could have had failure to thrive, he could have been delayed developmentally because of the Chromosome 22 duplication, he could have had vision or hearing problems, but none of these things have affected him. All that really happened was one tiny hole after a surgery that caused him so much pain. So I try to tell myself that in the grand scheme of things, this hole is nothing at all.

And I also think back to when he was a newborn, and I was learning how to feed him, and how I couldn't nurse him. There are very few reasons why a full-term baby cannot nurse, and cleft palate is one of them. And then when he could use suction, for the first time after his surgery, it was a miracle to me. I will never take for granted a child's ability to suck on a bottle! What I have been through with this little guy has forever changed my perspective on parenting, challenges, and miracles. And before he was born, I thought I had already been through a lot! I just feel grateful to have been given such special, unique children.

But I digress...back to the appointment today that had me in another moment of suspense. Dr. Martin came into the room, took a good look at Nathan's palate, and determined that he will NOT NEED SURGERY RIGHT NOW! More blessings. He said the hole is smaller than the last time he was seen in November, that it is now right below the nasal bridge and in between two small ridges on the palate, and is so small that it really will not affect his speech development in the next year. He wants Nathan to come back in 5 months to check again, and then after age 2, if the hole is still there, he will require surgery at that point. To do a surgery at this age might cause problems with the growth of his jaw.

So, so happy right now. So happy that I can enjoy this summer with my family, without scheduling surgeries that end up being cancelled. We can be stress-free and worry-free, the first time in a long time. I couldn't ask for more than that.