PJ's first Cleft Palate Surgery

 Here is a picture of PJ the morning of his surgery.  Little did he know what was going to happen that day.. poor little guy.  But it was a necessary step to aid in his ability to talk

This picture was taken about 16 hours after the one above.  At this point he had been out of surgery for about 10 hours give or take an hour.  It was his bedtime and had just fallen asleep again.  They had him in the post surgery 24 hour area where patients usually stay if they are being observed overnight after surgery.  However he was the only patient scheduled for an overnight stay so they sent the nurses home and moved us to a different floor.  This room was his first room which would have been more quiet for his mom to get some sleep as it was a private room which means less traffic coming and going.

 This is a picture of PJ getting his sponge bath the next morning.  He slept pretty good considering the nurses kept coming in to check vitals, change diapers, and help the other baby.  This is the room he slept in overnight.  He had a roommate who is on the other side of the curtain behind him.  The kids in this area of the hospital are ones that were born with a lung problem (don't worry, it wasn't a spreadable disease and sorry but I don't remember the name of it).

 This surgery they closed the palate at the back of his mouth.  The doctor said they do 2 surgeries for his case because his opening was to wide to do it in one.  The medical community has learned that if they do the closing of the palate in 1 surgery that the palate may reopen.  During the next few months as we wait for the 2nd surgery date to arrive, the rest of the open palate is stretching which will allow the 2nd surgery to be a success.  Next surgery is scheduled for November.