Asher's surgery went amazingly well. Prayers were answered big time. He is being healed, from the inside-out. I have been praying for complete emotional and physical healing almost every day we have known him, even before adoption. God is so good!
When we arrived at the surgery center he was great. The nurses started pushing some typical things like weighing him (which he typically fights), putting on "their" Pajamas (which wasn't going to happen) and taking vitals etc. I had to speak up a little forcefully at first as they were just moving and a bit rushing him and that was not making the atmosphere feel nice, but they did end up backing off and became very cooperative and even kind about it, once they understood where he was coming from. They gave him the Versed before surgery, which last time made him a little aggitated. I was a bit worried as last time Daddy was there, and this time it was my daughter, Makenna and myself. But he ended up being fine with it and just wanted to sleep. He was even asking to lie down on the hospital bed that he didn't want to touch at first, because he knew he was so tired and wanted to sleep. The surgeon was about 20 minutes late (Asher was his first surgery that day), but he still came in and asked how we were doing and prayed over Asher. I can't say enough about what a kind and wonderful man for a surgeon we have. He also happens to be an amazing plastic surgeon.
They allowed me to walk him back to surgery and even hold him when they put him under. Then I was quickly ushered out. The surgeon had warned me that even though he expected to take about 2 1/2 hours that if it was longer it was only because he was a perfectionist and wanted to take his time. Well, the surgery lasted about 3 3/4 hours. I was fine about it. Makenna and I read and chatted.
We spoke with the surgeon afterward and he said it went great. Something that China repaired wasn't done correctly and he fixed that. Then about 30 minutes later we got to be with Asher. He was quite sleepy for about an hour. But the nurse kept encouraging us to rouse him and wake him. This was quite different from the hospital stay from the previous surgery, as he slept solid for 2 hours there and they didn't really encourage us to wake him as long as he was doing well, which he was. Surgery centers seem more like they want you to move to recovery so they can send you home.
He woke and ate 2 Popsicles, then began crying his tummy hurt. The nurse gave him some anti-nausea medicine. As we were getting ready to go home, he asked for water, drank a lot and then promptly threw up just as we were getting him dressed in his clothes, all over me. (He also threw up in the car on the way home, but we were prepared and it didn't make too much of a mess thankfully.)
The nice thing about after this surgery was that he was very calm and not agitated like he was following his last surgery. He was not stressed about where he was or the nurse even touching him and taking his vitals like he was before. The whole experience was night and day different to him. So I am so thankful for that and know it was your prayers and God's hand in it all.
He did end up sleeping again when we got home at about 3 until 5, which I did too. Then he went to bed at 9 and slept until 5 without a peep. He really needed that! We both did. He did have quite a bit of pain the first few days and tummy aches. We got anti nausea medicine this time which helped. We kept him on pain meds for about 3 days. His biggest challenge is that he didn't want to really eat at all. He says "Lip hurts". But every day is getting better and he complains less. He has only been on Tylenol since day 3 post operation.
He saw the surgeon yesterday which he said he looks great. He did say one part of his nose already "fell" but it is not obvious to me and I think the surgeon is just a perfectionist as I think he looks great. But I thought he looked handsome before surgery too.
He is a fighter and is doing so well overall. Just 2 days after surgery he was almost bouncing off the walls with energy, I had to slow him down. He kept doing little things to hit his mouth and nose and then would cry and sometimes a little blood would come out. I was afraid that that he was going to cause it to open up. We are past that part now and things are getting back to normal. The doctor said no more surgeries for a while. He will have a bone graft at about 9 or 10 and maybe another lip/nose revision after that. Then we will just have to see what is needed at later times as he grows.
He will still be in speech for a long time. However, he is progressing so nicely! He is finally making some consonant sounds that he could not make even 2 months ago, like B and P and even sometimes T. We have to understand that he didn't have the opportunity to progress in making sounds like a baby and toddler do until he was a 28 months old. So he has to progress just like a baby would in making sounds and connections with his words. He has the ability to do it now, but he also has to unlearn some habits he picked up along the way prior to his surgery. It will come with lots of patience, growth and practice.
He can be quite stubborn and not want to cooperate with speech practice some days, typical 2-3 year old boy. Both of his therapists are great and know how to get his cooperation and they both do it so differently. He is about done with Early Intervention (he turns three in late February), but we are going to try and see if our insurance will still pay for our in-home therapist that he has been seeing. If not then we will likely drive up to the therapist on the Cleft Team. Unfortunately, she is 30 minutes away, so not our first choice, especially when Elliana and Isaiah come home this summer.
Again thanks for your prayers! We are so thankful that he is growing and thriving. We are so blessed.
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