All systems go!

The title of this post was almost changed to 'The best laid plans...' but thankfully, finally, I have been able to revert to the title I was hoping to use that provides a respectful nod to NASA's historic mission this week.

Yes, folks, that's right. Tuesday is the big day. After loads of bumps and hurdles this week it is set. Cullen will have his hard palate (the front half of the roof of his mouth) and either a lip adhesion or lip repair done on Tuesday. The difference between the adhesion and repair is that the adhesion just sutures the muscle directly below the nose in preparation for a repair. This is typically done when the lip segments are not close together. Our plastic surgeon or 'ps' - for those in the loop- is hoping to complete a lip repair. The lip repair sutures the muscle and the entire lip to create a typical mouth. We are hoping he is able to do the lip repair as this would mean one less surgery.

Pre-op is on Monday (good times!) and the surgery is Tuesday morning. It is an inpatient procedure with at least a one night stay in the hospital. For anyone near the med center on Tuesday I will take a grande skinny vanilla latte and any chocolate you can get your hands on. Shay will take a Coke with a full glass of ice. Even at 7 am. Actually, especially at 7 am.

Now back to the fun that was this week. On Monday we visited with our adorable ENT. Really, he is a hottie which worked in his favor this week as I couldn't bring myself to blacken his beautiful eyes. We have known for a long time that Cullen will need tubes as he has fluid in his ears. This is typical of kids with cleft palate because the soft palate muscle that typically clicks when you and I swallow equalizes pressure in middle ear and by some bit of magic allows the fluid to drain. (All you drs and nurses out there feel free to chime in). Cullen's soft palate muscle is not connected so his ears don't equalize and he has fluid. The GREAT news is he has been able to resist ear infections.

Back to Monday, so the ENT takes one look at Cullen and the fluid in his ears and proclaims..."he needs tubes... now!" Well, yikes! The surgery is already scheduled for Tuesday and I know the dr can't be there. Long story short, two hours of tests and a crying fussy baby later he asks me...

(Dr) "How old is your son?"
(Me) "5 months. Just turned two days ago."
(Dr) "Really? I thought he was 9 months old! He is Big! Scratch that. He doesn't need tubes until he is 9 months old."
(Me in my head) "*@$*(#&$(#*&$%(#*$&(@#*&$!!!!!!"
(Dr) "He is ok for surgery next Tuesday. "

And the next day we are back in the med center because Cullen's Latham device is starting to fall out and I love paying tolls on the Hardy Toll Road. The orthodontist pokes and prods for what seems like forever. Then finally says...
(Dr) "It'll hold. I think."
(Me) "Uh.... ok."
(Dr) "Let's wait for Tuesday. Just be really really careful and keep his hands out of his mouth."
(Me - Laughing at the crazy man who thinks you can keep a 5 month old fingers out of his mouth without duct tape.)
(Me- After I have composed myself) Great. So we are all set for Tuesday?
(Dr) He is ok for surgery on Tuesday.

Add this to last Thursday's appointment at the pediatrician where she proclaimed he was ok for surgery and Friday's appointment (what was supposed to be the last one!) with the orthodontist where he stated he was ok. Then the most important.... drum roll... this afternoon the plastic surgeon confirmed that he is ok for surgery.

So what does this mean? 1) we are using our medical benefits to the fullest extent and 2) ALL SYSTEMS GO!

R