jaw distraction

  • Rational thought not included

    Rational thought not included

    We knew that we would be getting a follow-up call after Namine’s cleft palate clinic appointments. It was expected, if only because we’d already done the same thing six months ago. What we didn’t expect was the utter stupidity accompanying the call.

  • A second opinion

    A second opinion

    A couple weeks ago, Namine had an appointment at the cleft palate clinic. But this was no mere checkup. Six months ago, several doctors, pathologists, and other specialists evaluated Namine for mandibular and tongue surgery. They declared that she should be re-evaluated six months later; this was that re-evaluation.

  • Cleft palate clinic

    Cleft palate clinic

    I can never remember if I’m supposed to refer to Dr. Denny’s team as the “cleft palate team” or just the “palate team.” I imagine it’s the latter, since the good doctor does all sorts or palate work. But since Namine had a cleft palate, that term just sort of stuck with us. At any…

  • The best reason

    One of my favorite phrases since becoming a special needs parent (though we don’t think of ourselves like that; we’re just parents taking care of our baby girl) is “I’m not an expert, but I play one in real life.” I’m not sure where I picked it up. Regardless, I love this saying because for…

  • Happy Mother’s Day

    This post could easily be called “a look at our nearly three years of parenthood.” I know some moms who would not share this day with their husbands for their life, but thankfully Jessica is not like that. We both feel that we would not be as good separate. We would not be complete.

  • Difficulty speaking

    Namine speaks in nearly all vowels. For whatever reason, she doesn’t make any plosive sounds. That is, B/D/P/T kind of sounds. She can make Ms, Ns (okay, with a little more difficulty), and Ls. But plosives, she can only seem to make when she plugs her nose. Speech therapy was concerned that it wasn’t just…

  • Coincidence or providence?

    Instead of doing one of those “year in review” posts, I’m going to talk about something else.

  • Appointments today

    Namine had to get blood drawn and then pay a visit to the endocrine clinic today. I think it’s safe to say that she knows the hospital, and she thinks that it usually means pain. (I wonder where she got that idea.) I suspect she’ll sleep well at nap time.

  • Namine’s trach removal is tomorrow

    I don’t think I can get any more straightforward than that.

  • Plastics appointment

    Namine had an appointment this morning with her plastic surgeon, Dr. Denny, the man who did her jaw distraction and cleft palate repair. He has declared her palate completely healed, and she can eat whatever she wants again. Well, within reason.

  • Namine’s palate

    It just rolls off the tongue: “Namine’s cleft palate.” For nearly two years, it’s been that way. So whenever I say it or type it, it’s still those three words. But no longer! It’s been a week since her palate, no longer cleft, has been repaired.

  • Namine: 2, Allergies: 1

    Today Namine had an appointment at Children’s Hospital with the allergy people. (I don’t really know what the department is really called. I doubt they call themselves “allergy people.”) Last time, we found out that she was allergic to cheese (but we’ve stayed away from all dairy, just to be safe) and rice. Today, they…