Cleft Repair

I know a lot of people are concerned about Shelby's "special need". She had a cleft lip that she already had surgery on when she was 8 months old. However, she still has a cleft palate now. What this means is that she has a whole or split in the roof of her mouth. I found this very detailed blog about another little girl and her palate surgery. You can click here to read about it. This little girl's mouth/palate before her surgery looks very much like the picture I have of Shelby's palate. According to my research, Shelby's surgery will go much like the details in this blog. Once I receive our LOA then I plan to go ahead and make an appointment with the specialist Cleft Team at Scottish Rite. We will even have personalized service from a nurse that is also adopting when we have her surgery done. I plan to wait to have her surgery until she has been home for at least a month or so. It is very important to have a solid attachment in place before such a dramatic experience. Shelby will be just fine to wait a few months for the surgery as she has survived 2 years with an open palate already. She should be able to eat just about anything that you and I eat even though she has an open palate. Some of the "weird" things that others may notice different about her will be some extra drooling and maybe some things coming out of her nose when she eats. I know that sounds strange but I feel it is important for others to be informed BEFORE she comes home. I don't want anyone freaking out at the dinner table if they see this happening with her. I will simply wipe the food away and go on about eating-no big deal ;)

So know you have a little information about her condition and I plan to keep informing everyone a little bit at a time. Knowledge is power, and I hope to keep gaining more and more knowledge as I wait for her to come home.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future." - Jeremiah 29:11