3 Week Post-Op
I can't believe it has been 3 weeks since lil man's surgery! As a momma, I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my chest. He still has a way to go before his head is shaped like normal, but the worst is behind him.
Here are some Q & A we have been getting a lot ...
Q: When does he get his helmet? Doesn't he have to wear it 22hrs a day?
A: He already has it, but they ended up giving him a protective helmet instead of a shaping helmet. He only has to wear it in the car, stroller, and when he is in "danger" of getting hit on the head. (Hmm... with an almost 3 year old brother in the house, isn't that always? haha)
Q: Does Reid like the hemet?
A: No. He hates it. We are the screaming mini-van. Reid screams.... which makes Stella scream.... which makes Sam cover his ears and scream "DA BABIES ARE SAD!!!!!!!!!!" :)
Q: When does he get the springs out?
A: 4-5 months after surgery. So January-February(ish).
Q: How is he recovering?
A: He is doing great! The first few days were rough. The pain meds pretty much made him sleep 4 days/nights straight. Here's a few pics I posted on FB. I was amazed at how quickly his swelling went down. The comparison pic below didn't even show him at his worst that Friday night when his eyes were swollen shut. God is amazing. The support and prayers we received from family/friends were also amazing.
His incision (which is shaped like a W), was supposed to be horizontal across his head. But because his head had grown so long from the fused plates, they had to go vertical. (see pic below) .... You can also already see the bulges forming all over his head as the plates move. The doctor told us his head would get very lumpy for awhile, and she wasn't kidding! I was surprised how quickly that happened as well as the 'valley' of a soft spot down his head. Thankfully he doesn't act like he's hurting anymore though.
 |
| Before Surgery |
 |
| Before Surgery |
 |
| A poor baby right after surgery. A tearful mommy. |
 |
| So sweet |
 |
| Our strong lil boy |
 |
| God is amazing |
 |
| Don't let this face fool you. He hates the helmet! :) |
 |
| The incision |
 |
| Slightly blurry pic with bad coloring. But, you can see the bulges across his head forming & the valley at the very top. |
That's all for now! I hear a baby crying... :)
