Updates

I've been getting some requests for updates on how Teagan is doing after surgery. It's hard to believe it's been two weeks already from this photo above.

For some comic relief, here I am in my "bunny suit" before I took her in. You know, I am not sure how comforting it was for me to carry her down to surgery and talk to her as she fell asleep looking like this.

For the most part, she is doing really well. The liquid diet was tough, she was sick of jello, soup, and blended food after about 3 days.  I don't know if you can tell here, but she is not pleased with her food choices as she sits in her chair.

We tried to make some good ones - graham crackers with cream were a hit, so was peaches with juice, and meatballs blended with broth.  She even like blended wedding soup made by our neighbor Scott. Popsicles were allowed. This is Teagan with her Popsicle making the "cold" face.

She has moved to soft foods now and no arm restraints after 11 days. She was so happy to do this that she literally danced a jig when she has her first bite of soft food. And smiled every time she ate something. No crackers, cookies, chips, or sharp edged food for awhile.

There is a set back- a fistula has developed. I saw it Saturday - a fistula is a hole basically. It's a smallish hole in the back of her mouth where the soft and hard palate meet. It's a place where there are not as many layers of tissue to work with and bring together and is the weakest kind. Teagan's palate was bilateral and that is the kind of palate (wide) that is most vulnerable to fistulas.

We spoke with our surgeon Monday about it. While it is not uncommon, you don't want a fistula. We will have to wait and see what happens. It may granulate and therefore close on it's own. IT may not close but stay the same size. If that happens, we can wait to repair it when we do a lip revision, nose revision, bone graft and all the other things to come. If it grows, we have to deal with it sooner.

If your reading this, please pray/hope/wish/visualize with me it closes on its own.

I spoke with the cleft clinic about this yesterday. My read of the literature was that even a small fistula can impede speech although our surgeon thought not (but he is not a speech specialist). The expert in speech at the cleft clinic, said it's too early to tell. But, yes, a small fistula can hurt speech. It also may not.  There are endless possibilities and we just won't know until she starts speaking more.

I think this is the part we just have to get used to. There is going to be a lot of forwards and some backwards.

Bonus Photo: Here is a photo from Angel's Home of Grace and Teagan!