A Sight for Sore Eyes

Well, when I returned from work to the hospital this afternoon I was greeted by the vision captured above. Needless to say, it was indeed a sight for sore eyes to see Heather up and about holding Gwendolyn once again.

Now that mom and I have officially healed up, we can get back to blog updates only about Gwendolyn’s health!!!

Yesterday, plastics ordered a CT scan to look at her jaw placement. The results are leading the surgeon to believe that it is that recessed lower jaw that’s the likely culprit for Gwen’s issues. She’s still going to have a sleep study later this month. The plastic surgeon said assuming nothing unexpected shows up then, Gwen will be going in for surgery to extend her jaw the week following the sleep study. Honestly, I can’t give you a lot of details about that procedure yet… and unlike earlier this week, I think I should wait until I have the correct facts before I try. We’re supposed to review all this procedure entails tomorrow with plastics. From what I was initially told though, it will be a long painful process. The jaw will have screws inserted in each side behind her ears. Periodically, the screws will be tightened to eventually extend the jaw to a more ideal location in relation to her upper jaw. The ultimate goal is to jet the jaw out from its current location, thereby keeping the tongue from inadvertently blocking the airway while asleep or gagging her during feeding.

In a sad admission, I am one of the schleps that purchased a “Pure Sleep” snore guard (actually, more than one since the dog chewed the first one up and the wife threatened me with divorce if I didn’t get a replacement… but I digress). I think pretty much all of America has seen the infomercial on that device and how it extends your lower jaw to open your airway while you sleep. The premise between that and Gwen’s surgery are actually based on the same theory. (BTW, is it only I that finds it a tiny bit humorous that my daughter will be a veteran of two plastic surgeries before her two-month anniversary of life? Housewives everywhere are oozing with jealousy!)

;)

We are also awaiting the conclusion of the two-day apnea machine study. The conclusion of that might cause Gwen to be placed on an additional mediation to hopefully assist her airway breathing.

We are hoping that one or both of these solutions eliminate Gwen’s issues. Unfortunately, we are starting to run thin on “physical” ailments that can be the cause of her problem. Once they have been exhausted, the only logical place left to look is in the brain. With the Neurosurgeon so sure that the Chiari Malformation is not the cause, I can’t say that we would ever either know for sure or be able to correct this breathing/eating issue if it weren’t indeed physical in nature. So, assuming that Gwen’s jaw surgery remains set on Thanksgiving Week as it currently is, her mother and I will be rather “thankful” if that’s the surgical answer to our prayers.

I do think we’re getting close to a discharge in the short term. Heather and I are getting background information on inserting and administering a feeding via her tube tomorrow. Not a fun task but necessary to be sure. And the fact that we’re beginning that process leaves me hopeful we’ll be out of here in days.

Have a good evening… I swear I try to keep these things short but they always seem to get away from me. Sorry about that!