Eye Surgery and Things

Kenya's eye doctor, Dr Hoffman, told us on December 22 that she was going to need another surgery. We were not happy because that meant he couldn't get her in until February which means another $5,000 deductible, which is what happened to us the first time around because his office couldn't get us in for 3 months. This time he had to change our appointment from the first of December to the 22 and because of that couldn't get us in for surgery before the end of the year. Well Mark was mad. (I was too but luckily Mark has the balls to actually do something about it.) I did say something at her appointment, he said "sorry, wish I had more surgery days but I don't." So I said okay. Mark called and talked to lots of people and pleaded our case, even got the doc to talk to him on the phone, which really just made him more mad because he was not nice or sympathetic, just bad bedside manner. Anyway after lots and lots of phone time we were able to get a great recommendation, get an appointment, AND get scheduled for surgery on the 29th. Mark is good. We LOVE our new doctor Dr. Peterson. For the first time in 3 years we feel like we understand what is going on with her eyes, he was awesome.

So what is going on with her eyes? Let me fill you in. She was born with cross eyes which is really a neurological problem so the only way they know how to fix it is with eye muscle surgery. Her first surgery Dr. Hoffman loosened the inside muscles to try and get the eyes to straighten out. It helped a lot but they were still crossing and up drifting when she looked down mostly. This surgery Dr. Peterson tightened the outer muscles and the lower lid muscles to help with the up drifting and crossing, and so far her eyes look really good. There's a 20% chance that she could need another surgery down the road, even 10-20 years down the road because the brain sometimes just doesn't want to keep them straight. It doesn't effect her vision, it could effect her peripheral vision and depth perception if she didn't get it fixed. So goodbye Dr. Hoffman, we will not return, thank you Dr. Peterson for making us feel like you care. (I hope I'm not offending anyone if you go to Dr. Hoffman, he is a great Dr., I know that, just a little too arrogant for our liking.)

Here is Kenya before surgery. Sad little girl.

After her surgery they let one parent go back until they moved her to post op. Mark really wanted to be the one to go back, I did too, but since he made this surgery happen I let him go back first and comfort our little girl.

She slept and slept for the first few hours after her surgery. She didn't want to open her eyes because she said they hurt. She was asleep on our couch at home and I heard her crying. I came downstairs and she was wandering around with her eyes closed saying "I want to leave, I want to leave momma!" She thought we were still at the hospital, a little delirious still, so sad. I picked her up, comforted her and put her back on the couch, she went right back to sleep.

Day after surger, puffy red eyes. Whenever anyone asks her what happened to her eyes she says "I got bwood in my eyes." She threw up the day of surgery while she was going to the bathroom from the anesthesia. She told Charlie her pee came out of her mouth. She told her friend the next day she had a fever and she throwed it up. Later that day she went into that bathroom and said "Mom, where's my fever?" I said "I cleaned it up Kenya." She said "Oh, I wanted to see it." :)

Three days after her surgery she was running around the house, tripped and banged her brow bone on the door frame. Huge goose egg right away and a really good black eye.

So she had, still has "blood" in her eye and a black eye, she was pretty.

Leila graduated to the big tub, I've been giving her baths on the counter in her tub. The kids were excited and wanted to join her.

ohh, I just want to squish her!

Kenya fell asleep on Mark like this the other day, she really did have a fever. This has never happened, ever. He liked it.

I have my kids make their own beds every morning. It would be so much easier for me to just do it, and look so much better but I'm trying to teach them a good habit. This is how Charlie made his this morning. Love it. He was proud.

I will leave you with another great picture from Kenya of Snow White, Prince Charming, and the three fairies catching a ride in the back.