Lorelle's Surgery

Wednesday was Lorelle's surgery. We left Tuesday night and went to a hotel so we could be at the hospital early. We did all the paper work and meetings with the anesteciologist (however you spell that [the drug guy]) and the radiologist performing the surgery when we got there and then she went in. The surgery took about 45 min and she did so good. 

First they put a mask on her for her to fall asleep then they put some plastic thing at the back of her throat to help her breathe. The doctor then proceeded with the surgery. He had to poke her about 7 times. The first pokes were to drain the cysts and he drained 8 of them. He drained a little over 12cc's of fluid from her cheek and 8cc's of that was from once cyst and the remaining cc's were from the other 7. They said that 30cc's is about an ounce so they took about half an ounce from her cheek which I guess is alot especially for a little baby. He then injected the agent that was supposed to burn the excess tissue and then force the cyst to close so that it doesn't refill. The agent that he used isn't what they recommend to use on little babies because when it's absorbed into their body it can discolor their teeth. So he injected it and left it there long enough for it to burn the tissue and then he took it out so her body didn't absorb it and her teeth won't change color. Then that was it. 

We talked to the doctor after the surgery and he said that it will take about a week or so for the swelling to go down and for us to notice a real difference. We go back in 6-8 weeks so that he can see how the cysts reacted and what, if anything, needs to be done again. The procedure is such a simple one, he said, that he can do it as many times as it needed but that he was really confident that the one should suffice. 

When she came out of the drugs she was not very happy. She cried for about half an hour and then fell asleep in my arms. She slept for 2 hours and then woke up and was her happy little self again. I fed her and changed her and then we were able to take her home the same day. After 9 hours waiting at the hospital, we went out for supper and then took the kids swimming. 

All went well and I'm so grateful for all those who helped physically, spiritually and any other way. The first picture is her before picture and then the second one is after her surgery when we got back to the hotel. You can't see a huge difference yet but if you click on them to make them larger, you can see that it is a little flatter and you can see her ear in the second pic where the first one you can't. It still sags though like a bulldog but the top part around her eye is smaller. I'm taking a picture everyday so I can document the progress and in about a week's time I will post another blog with all the pictures.