2 Weeks Post-Op (Graphic!)

Ok friends, if you don't want to see a picture of a repaired palate two weeks after surgery, you should probably close out the post after you read.  There are 2 regular pictures and then 2 palate pictures.  It's not bloody or gross, but it is a true picture of what Sunshine's palate looks like as it's healing, and it may make some people queasy.  She was willing to let me take the picture, and I thought it would be a great way to show other cleft parents what to expect.

She really is healing up beautifully and we are finally no-no free, woohoo!  I have to confess that I am thrilled we are saying bye-bye to no-no's ... it has not been a relationship we've enjoyed.  I am looking forward to getting back into normal sleep habits and not waking up all. night. long. with our precious girl who simply cannot get comfortable.  Sunshine is slowly returning to normal, Praise God.  She still has her angry moments, but for the most part, our spunky, happy girl is back.

We are still on a special soft foods diet for another two weeks (post on that to come in the future) and it's been rough.  In the beginning she refused to eat mostly everything, but she's come around to some new foods.  I syringe-fed her Creamy Tomato Soup the other day and she kept begging for more (just way too messy with a spoon, I tried)!  I also tricked, I mean convinced her to eat scrambled eggs loaded with butter and cheese by dipping the bites in Ranch dressing.  Go figure.  LOL.  What a mama won't do to get her baby to eat, I tell ya.

So we are slowly figuring out this whole palate repair recovery thing and I will be elated when it's over.  She asks for Goldfish and other crunchy foods regularly now and it kills me to say no!  I feel so bad!  We've been doing a good job of keeping all those foods hidden from her and only bring them out when she's napping or sleeping ... no sense in torturing her!

Anywho, here is her repaired palate if you'd like to see :-)  There are 2 versions - one normal and another with commentary so you know what you're looking at :-)  It really is stunning (not in a "pretty" way but in a "ohmygoodness look at that" way ... I wish I had taken "before" pictures!  The work that her surgeon has done is nothing shy of a miracle.  I know that he does this all the time, but seriously WOW!

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