We got home from Johns Hopkins this afternoon and felt really good about this new surgeon. We were originally scheduled for Anna to have her lower jaw reduction surgery on Dec. 28 by the surgeon who did her first jaw surgery . We had many issues with the first surgeon starting even before the first surgery was done in August 2011. We go to the Johns Hopkins Craniofacial team for Anna and Luke. Anna's case has been described by many doctors as an extreme and severe condition- sort of unusual and rare. We used the first surgeon because medically he came highly recommended for the type of surgery and repair she needed. We never had issues with his medical ability . It was just his "bedside manner" which is equally important. Anyway as we neared to this next date for surgery we were having some of the same issues. Finally after speaking with the team coordinator we were given another option - the new surgeon.
He is young and I guess you can say progressive in his thinking. We were extremely pleased with our visit today and his plan is very different from the previous surgeon. Dr. B is conferring with his associate Dr. R and our orthodontist and he will get back to us by next week...Here is the plan he believes he will do. Instead of reducing her lower jaw he now plans to build up the upper part of her top jaw and at the same time the live tissue transfer he places from her tibia or fibula will repair the fistula that was repaired a long time ago but is occurring again because of her palate expansions...It is a very complex surgery that will take 10 to 12 hrs because of the need to create new blood vessels taken from her cheek to the live tissue that will be transplanted. It will require her to be in the ICU for 3 days where they check her surgery sites every hour and any issues they will take her back into surgery. She will be in the hospital for 5 to 7 days. This is a more involved process but we believe it will benefit her in the long run. Now on this side of things we are glad we had the experiences with the old surgeon so that we had this opportunity to meet and use this new surgeon. It is funny how God works things out like that. We are grateful for this opportunity for Anna and ask for your prayers for her as we begin this next journey with her cleft issues. We are thinking January or Feb. now for the surgery but we will share when we know. Thank you for your prayers.
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