Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008

Today was round two in the surgery evaluations. This time, my parents took me back to UC Davis to see Dr Sykes, the original surgeon who put my trach in when I was just a few days old. Dr Sykes last saw me in December at the craniofacial panel so I have gotten much bigger since then. Although I was very tired, I sat quietly on Daddy's lap the whole time my parents asked Dr Sykes all the questions they have. Dr Sykes is ready to do my jaw distraction now. He said that he would distract my jaw and then wait several days while I was still inpatient and then attempt to decannulate me. Apparently, that is a big word that means he would try to take my trach out. That way, I would still be inpatient at the hospital in case there were any problems with me breathing after they take it out - and if they had to, they could put it back in. He thinks I would be in the hospital for about 10 days if all goes well. Then, my parents would take me home and continue "distracting" me for another 10 days or so. He would wait to repair my cleft palate until I was closer to 15 months old. He wanted to try to schedule me for surgery the first Thursday in June but his nurse said they couldn't arrange his schedule and Dr Senders at the same time. She wanted to check dates in July but their computer system didn't have those schedules open yet so they are going to call back with a date. That's okay with my parents. They have an appointment tomorrow with a surgeon at Lucille Packard Children's Hospital in Palo Alto to get his opinion.

Peyton Nicole Smith