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Mom2BabyNatalie · 09-24-2008, 03:20 PM

Oh Amy, I'm thrilled to hear the good news that surgery and recovery has gone so well!!!

Our little Emma is like the cocker you mentioned ... the cleft is through the nose and all the way through the hard palate. She was born with a cleft of the soft palate as well, but that was repaired during the first week of her life with the first surgery she had.

We too, have been very blessed in that Emma has grown and thrived so well thus far!! I brought her home (from an ad on craigslist) when she was just 20 hours old.... she has been tube fed ever since. She turned 7 weeks old on monday!

Your breeder was SO WONDERFUL to have cared for baby Bombo like she did for the first 4 months of his life!!!! So many wouldn't have taken the time!!

Emma has some wonderful doctors who will perform her next surgeries beginning when she is between 3 and 4 months old and can withstand anesthesia.

You've done a fabulous job with your little guy.... you should be proud!! I know how scary those little "snorts and gurgles" can be!! About every one gets you packin' for a mad dash to the ER before you realize, that they're JUST snorts and gurgles... haha!!

Sometimes I'm so glad that we went ahead and had the first surgeries done when Emma was so young (she was just 36 hours old) - - - - because I fear she may not have made it this far with the soft palate open as it was.

But on the other hand, the first surgical attempt was INTENDED to repair the ENTIRE cleft of both the soft and hard, as well as the nasal and lip cleft...... which failed..... Emma was in and out of surgery a total of 4 times within the first week of her life.

So when you mention "botched jobs" and making it more difficult to repair (and seemingly far less expensive) when the time comes..... that is my fear now with Emma. They of course, had to take so much of her tissue each time she went into surgery... and now, I'm not sure how they will handle "putting it all together" when the time comes.....

I don't know if they're hoping with her growth, she'll have more tissue to work with (she sure hasn't grown much though!) or if they will take tissue from another part of her body, use pig skin for a graph or what.... but this is what makes me wish we waited until she was older as you have with Bombo!

It certainly sounds like you guys have made all the right decisions for your boy and I'm so happy to hear that everything is falling into place!!!

Much love to Bombo!! We look forward to seeing him!!

<<hugs to you both>>

Welcome to YT!!!!

09-24-2008, 03:20 PM	#17
Mom2BabyNatalie Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 2,133	Oh Amy, I'm thrilled to hear the good news that surgery and recovery has gone so well!!! Our little Emma is like the cocker you mentioned ... the cleft is through the nose and all the way through the hard palate. She was born with a cleft of the soft palate as well, but that was repaired during the first week of her life with the first surgery she had. We too, have been very blessed in that Emma has grown and thrived so well thus far!! I brought her home (from an ad on craigslist) when she was just 20 hours old.... she has been tube fed ever since. She turned 7 weeks old on monday! Your breeder was SO WONDERFUL to have cared for baby Bombo like she did for the first 4 months of his life!!!! So many wouldn't have taken the time!! Emma has some wonderful doctors who will perform her next surgeries beginning when she is between 3 and 4 months old and can withstand anesthesia. You've done a fabulous job with your little guy.... you should be proud!! I know how scary those little "snorts and gurgles" can be!! About every one gets you packin' for a mad dash to the ER before you realize, that they're JUST snorts and gurgles... haha!! Sometimes I'm so glad that we went ahead and had the first surgeries done when Emma was so young (she was just 36 hours old) - - - - because I fear she may not have made it this far with the soft palate open as it was. But on the other hand, the first surgical attempt was INTENDED to repair the ENTIRE cleft of both the soft and hard, as well as the nasal and lip cleft...... which failed..... Emma was in and out of surgery a total of 4 times within the first week of her life. So when you mention "botched jobs" and making it more difficult to repair (and seemingly far less expensive) when the time comes..... that is my fear now with Emma. They of course, had to take so much of her tissue each time she went into surgery... and now, I'm not sure how they will handle "putting it all together" when the time comes..... I don't know if they're hoping with her growth, she'll have more tissue to work with (she sure hasn't grown much though!) or if they will take tissue from another part of her body, use pig skin for a graph or what.... but this is what makes me wish we waited until she was older as you have with Bombo! It certainly sounds like you guys have made all the right decisions for your boy and I'm so happy to hear that everything is falling into place!!! Much love to Bombo!! We look forward to seeing him!! <<hugs to you both>> Welcome to YT!!!! __________________ Libby Gracie Mia & "Baby Emma" ~ My precious Natalie Kaye, you will ALWAYS be in my heart ~ I LOVE YOU!!!