January 1998- My First Surgery

My first surgery was to get my “pre maxilla” * back far enough to sew my lips together, the piece under my nose is actually my lip. The challenge for the doctor was to connect the side of my lip to the piece under my lip to the other side of my lip. In order to do this the doctors would have to put in a latham device, it is used to decrease the width of my cleft to make the repair easier. It is a pin that went through my pre maxilla with two screws into my jaw bone and two rubberbands that my mom would tighten once a week. This would bring my bone back in far enough to sew my lips together.

My mom would have to sit on me with my arms under her knees in order to do this, she would tighten the rubberbands as fast as she could and I would smile within seconds J  It was more uncomfortable than painful. Once my bone was in place to proceed forward; I went in for my second surgery.

The actual sewing of my lips together.

I don't actually remember any of this from when I was two, but from what I hear from my mom, I was and still am incredibly blessed by God to have been put into such a wonderful supportive family!