Healing Process

Progress of Cooper's recovery dating from pre-surgery to almost 3 months post-op

Lately, I have been reflecting on Cooper's lip surgery and the long, daunting healing process we endured. I am hit with all the emotions of how helpless my little boy felt after being drugged, cut up, and stitched up. We didn't have the easiest recovery either. The incision tore apart, a stitch broke through the scar, and his tissue is very contracted and firm. 

I have many fears for his upcoming surgery, mainly though, the aftercare. The surgeon informed me that the repair to Coop's palate may not hold, which in that case, they would do an emergency surgery to sew it back together. I can not begin to tell you how scared I am of that being our luck. It is even more nerve racking knowing that we live so far from any proper medical care for him in case the repair doesn't hold. 

I know that I shouldn't worry, the Lord is watching over him, but it's only in my nature to worry for my child.

I hope and pray that the recovery for this surgery will be slightly easier for all of us. 

I hope this time around I can get a bed in his hospital room, rather than the make-shift fold out chair provided. In his previous stay, he literally did not leave my arms the entire night and we both were crammed into a corner trying to get rest on the fold out chair. The crib provided was not used other than the occasional diaper change. 

I hope that I am not placed in a room with a poor little 7-year-old boy who was left abandoned by his awful parents who didn't have the decency to stay with their son overnight, (even though they were staying at the Ronald House were my husband slept-one of them could have been with their son.) 

I hope feeding goes as well as it did his last surgery. 

I hope the repair is successful and that it will be the last surgery for a couple years.

Ultimately, I hope he doesn't feel much pain and can play, laugh, and give us smiles with the quickest recovery

possible.

On that note, I'll leave you with some pictures of Cooper at the park from last week.

Check out his hair

He almost fell asleep swinging with Dad

At first he was terrified of the pine needles and would NOT put his hands on the ground

I Love the weekends.  Joel's home!

At this point he was done with the park