Part III surgery #1

November 7, 2011 Surgery #1.
a couple side notes here that just add to the stress of surgery anyway. Tenna was unable to pass hearing test after hearing test. No big deal really, it was expected. With Cleft babies the Eustachian tubes don't have the correct angle for things to drain properly so the ears hold a lot of fluid. We had a follow up hearing test with Dr. Steve (I think that was his name?? can't really remember anymore) He was worried there was some damage to the ear drum and asked if we could have a Dr. look at her while she was in the OR for her prosthesis/NAM surgery. He sent down the information to Dr. Morales. I got the call from Dr. Morales' office saying they could do the double procedure and gave me a name of an ENT to call. NOW, this is like 3 days prior to surgery, and Surgery was on a MONDAY.. so the weekend was messing up everything. I called the Dr. and had planned on getting down to bountiful by 3PM I started chasing around my house like a maniac trying to get things together when I find myself on the phone once again... The dr I just got lined up doesn't accept our insurance, so that is an OUT. I get a new number to call, call them only to be passed around.. come to find out I can't make the appointment, the Dr. that referred us has to. yada yada long story so come to find out AFTER lunch break and me getting all wired up for nothing Marci (nurse at Morales' office) already lined everything up for me! THANK YOU! Matt and I didn't get the chance to meet the ENT until we had already passed our baby off to the OR... I wasn't a fan of this I like to have a feel for the Dr/Dr's I'm trusting my child with. Dr. Park was the ENT handed to us, and so far I'm happy with him. I just would have like to been able to do some research. I was planning on tubes at 3/4 months. Guess a lesson in procrastination.

wow this story is getting kinda long. BUT the couple days prior to Surgery day should have told me what a hectic day it was going to be. I tend to make a big deal out of things that are small.

We were the first in the OR for the day, so Tenna had her last feeding at 3AM we had to wake her, but I wasn't about to make her go hungry for longer than necessary. Check in at Primary Children's at 6 get all the fun pre op stuff done and in the OR by 7:30. Everything was going smooth. We stayed the night at my brother Kevin's, so we didn't have a super long drive ahead of us. Got to the Hospital in great time, got Tenna checked in and put in the cutest smallest hospital gear. Poor thing has NO clue what is coming.

I was so uptight and nervous as we got sat down in pre op. Dr. Morales came and visited with us, I wish I would have grabbed a picture of him with Tenna, but NEXT TIME... the Anesthesiologist came and visited with us. He helped calm me a tiny bit. He promised that he cared for my baby ALMOST as much as I did. He was very reassuring that everything was going to be fine. He explained the process and that his ONLY job was to watch over our baby and to make sure she stays breathing.

When the time came that we found our self walking down the hall to make the hand off at the dreaded double doors I could feel the lump in my throat getting bigger. As I handed Tenna over and watched her walk off in a strangers arms I lost it. I almost wanted to run after them and say never mind. Matt grabbed me and I just started to sob. Good thing there was a bathroom close because I ran in there and got control of myself.

This was going to be a short in and out deal. About an hour in the OR then recovery, and home by 11. That was the plan. Matt and I had made note of the McD's we were going to grab a bfast burrito at on the way home. We were both very hungry. We got to the waiting room and grabbed a little snack. We decided against going to the cafeteria because we were going to be meeting the ENT. About 15 min. after sitting down the ENT Dr. Park came in. Told us that if he felt it necessary he would be putting tubes in. That is about a 5 min. job. We were okay with it and I told Matt I felt alright about him. He looked young and energetic.

Dr. Park came in about 20 min later and told us Tenna's ears looked pretty yucky. There was a lot of fluid and infection so he went ahead and put tubes in. He told us Dr. Morales was almost done and would be in to talk to us shortly. Dr. Morales was in not much later. He said everything went PERFECT! He explained to us that he placed the prostheses and NAM and everything went just how he wanted. He explained how she would need to have arm restraints for a while. He talked about the NAM and how there will be a post in her nose to help shape it. He also gave us the low down on to NOT let her rip it out because it would be BAD! He assured us we would be called back shortly to see our baby. I love our surgeon. I believe we made the right decision. LOVE. HIM.

I was waiting for our number to be called telling us one parent of Tenna can go to the PACU. From the time the Dr's left to the time they called felt like FOR-EV-ER.. When they said Tenna's name I jumped out of my seat so fast I didn't look back. They said to follow the beach balls and that is all it took... I think I RAN to the PACU. I could hear Tenna crying as I entered. I couldn't see her but I knew it was her. She sounded different. I got to her bed and the nurse handed her to me. She was NOT happy. I started to cry. It was so hard to see her the way she was. She acted to scared and sad. I held her for about 30 min or so and they moved us to post op. This is where Matt was able to meet up with us. The plan was to be here an hour or two and be on the road! This is where Matt and I got a good scare. Tenna stopped breathing. Her lips and all around her mouth went blue so fast. The nurses jumped up and put oxygen on her. I was very uptight. I think I kinda checked out for a while because the next 5 hours of this dare are a blurr. I know we had to keep putting oxygen on her because she kept forgetting to breath. Matt and I sat for hours on end watching her chest, the moment we noticed it stopped moving we had to start moving her around tapping her chest to remind her to breath. I would sometimes look at Matt as if I was imagining that it really wasn't moving up and down. I'm glad he was there by my side... and I'm SO glad the monitors would alert so the nurse was RIGHT there every time. I know that I finally asked if I could pump. It was nice to walk away from the little corner we were in. When I got back Matt looked like he was about to ask for a divorce. Tenna SCREAMED bloody murder the entire time I was gone. I felt so horrible. I hated this part of the day. After about 5+ hours they decided to get us a room and we were going to be staying the night.

This is how we spent our day. crying.. with the Oxygen mask close by. This mask was a air forced mask so there is constantly a flow pushing even when it wasn't right up on her face she was getting forced air.

We got up to our room. I remember it was a good walk to get where we were going and I was grateful we had a nurse helping us because it felt like a maze. I honestly was SO LOST!

Kevin and Amy brought us some of our over night stuff. It was SO nice to have them come visit. I think we needed the reassurance from family that things were going to be just fine. It was nice to see Dylan. He ended up missing school, but we don't mind. He enjoyed staying another night with the girls.

I love this picture of Matt. It was taken by Dylan. While Kevin and Amy came Matt and Kevin took the Dylan and the girls for a walk. PCMC I think is the coolest place, where else can you find a statue of Christ AND Spider man??

I had to get a picture of her little feet. My Grandma Norma always says to kiss that babies feet. I gave them plenty of kisses once these dang things came off.

I apologize in advance for the boogies in her mouth/nose. I should have cleaned them, before I took the picture, but I didn't. but that's okay they looked like this alot of the time. Here is the after math of surgery. The Prosthesis/NAM. (nose alveolar ridge mold= nose/gum line/mold)

the prosthesis is pink. We went down the week before surgery and they made a mold of her mouth. We met with Dr. Y, her orthodontist. He explained that the NAM and Prosthesis would pull her gum line and palate together. They place the prostheses in with pins and place a chain (it is like having braces and a power chain for those familiar with them) a Post is attached to the prosthesis and extrudes out and up into her nose to start shaping it. It has a little plastic looking ball on the tip. LOOKS PAINFUL.

We went down every 2 weeks to adjust the chain/post. The first time down they adjusted the post in her nose.. the other times they said everything looked great! We were able to skip the last appointment because Dr. Morales said everything was absolutely PERFECT and he would just see us on surgery day. Bitter sweet! I can't help but feel so emotional. Not that I like this at all, but I do love her extra wide smile.