all healed up!

We had Bella's post-op check-up yesterday with her surgeon and team. It was our first good look at her palate as well, as we haven't been too keen on prying her mouth open to see. The palate is healing up great, according to her surgeon. It definitely doesn't look like a "normal" palate, to me, but it has closed off the nasal cavity and skin will eventually graft and grow together to create a more "normal" look. Amazing. How do you thank someone who just fixed your daughter's mouth? I always feel so silly saying thank you, but really, deep in my heart I feel such gratitude for his skill and ability to better my daughter's life. It's a hard feeling to describe.

Talked some more with the RN of the cleft palate team and realized that the hard & soft palate BOTH were created this last surgery. Didn't know that, for some reason. Which means, she won't be needing surgery for about 5 years or so. Travis and I both walked away from this appointment feeling slightly strange. No surgeries on the horizon, no appointments needing to be made, no revisions to our daughter??? What to do, then, with our child?? This past year has been so full of huge decisions needing to be made, appointments being set up, countless phone calls with our insurance, questions for Bella's case manager, scheduling Trav's work around surgeries and appt's. We feel strangely free... like, you mean we just get to watch her grow and have fun like a regular little kid??? Cool! Granted, she'll probably be starting speech therapy pretty soon, and she'll need major dental work, and possible surgeries could arise out of either of those two situations........... but for now, we're free and I'm ready to fly!

She's really doing well. Every day brings a better attitude, more of our "old" Bella back, and more healing. The past two nights, she's only woken up once in the middle. She's only on motrin now, no more morphine; and she's off liquids and onto soft foods. The arm restraints are gone and all in all, we're just a happier clan.