Met Elle's Surgeon

Well we met with Elle's surgeon, and it went great! Nice doctor, and I am feeling more and more better with the whole situation. God is just preparing me for this whole thing, and I can feel it! We will be getting a call in the next week to set up an appt with the ENT and Speech therapist because they need to see if Elle should get tubes put in her ears during her surgery. Babies with Cleft pallet don't have fluid drain out of their ears easily because of the muscle back by the tubes don't work very well when you swallow, which causes the fluid to stay in the ear, and then causes ear infections. Knock on wood, Elle has had one ear infection so far (hoping it stays that way!) but since she is already going to be put under anesthesia for her cleft repair, they always do the tubes then if needed.  So we will go to the ENT appt in 3-4 months and see what they recommend doing for tubes. We will also be getting a call I am guessing in the next week to set up Elle's surgery date. The doctor was saying we will be doing it when Elle is around 12 months. Before Elle's surgery she needs to be off of her bottle, and drinking out of a cup, or a special sippy cup (which we have 3 of them for her when the time comes to introduce them to her). They are really cool, never seen them before until I talked with a mom with a child that had cleft pallet and has been through all of this, told me about them (her daughter also went to the same surgeon Elle is going to).  They look like this........ http://www.amazon.com/Philips-AVENT-Natural-Drinking-1-Pack/dp/B006GYLL8Y/ref=pd_cp_ba_3

So the surgeon recommended introducing Elle this cup when she is about 10 months old and slowly getting her off the bottle. Crazy to think that is only 4 months away to start that! We asked him how long the surgery typically takes and he said about 3 hours, thats including pre-opp, surgery, and post-opp. He said that when they take her back for the surgery that don't do the surgery right away. They get her ready. Put gas on her to make her sleepy, get i.v in her and the tubes, then put her under and do the surgery. Thats hard for me to think they will do all that and I won't be there with her to comfort her. Makes me tear up when I really start thinking about it, but I also know that it is for the best that I am not there, cause I know it will be hard for me to see it. I am just praying now, that she doesnt have stranger anxiety, cause that will be really hard for me! So after surgery, the doctor said that we won't be able to see her till she has waken up from anesthesia and is breathing ok, and everything is good. He said that could be 30-40 min till she wakes up, its hard to say. Doctor also said that they will have "no-no's" on her, which is bands that go over her elbows so she doesnt put her hands in her mouth. He said that they will send those home with us, cause she is going to need to have those on for naps, bed time, and not being right by us to supervise hands going in mouth. She will need those for 3-4 weeks. He said that we should be there for one night, thats if everything goes good. Typically one night is all that is needed. Then we go back to see him 2 weeks after surgery, and then back again 4-6 weeks after surgery. Then if everything looks good at that last follow up we won't need to come back till she is 2 1/2-3 for the yearly clinics.

I think thats all that was discussed and I don't think I am forgetting anything. I am hoping that her appt is early August because thats before Eli goes to school, and it would make things a little bit easier during this, but really when ever it is, we make it work! Not that I haven't been praying about it since we found out Elle had cleft, but lots more praying until the surgery date comes.