Introducing Isaiah 4.0

Right after they took the bar off in preop holding

The rest of the trip to Dallas was pretty smooth.  Yesterday we got some good news that his ears looked like they were healing well and that he wouldn't need another set of tubes put in when they take the halo off.  We also got to meet up quick with another Apert family, the Clarks, who were here from Ohio to have their daughter Haylee's halo removed as well.  Its always great to meet other families and they were nice enough to give Isaiah another gift of legos which he had to build almost immediately of course!

This morning we checked into the hospital at 7am, by 8:15 we were in the preop holding area and got a glimspe of things to come when they took off the front bar.  All in all it was a pretty quick surgery and he was in the recovery room by 9:45.  It was there we got to see Isaiah 4.0 for the first time with no halo!  He was still pretty out of it, but was asking for his ipad soon enough.  Even though we've seen the progression over the past few weeks, its just so different without anything else on his head.  We were so worried he had messed things up when he fell, but other than some bigger holes and scrapes by the pin sites he's doing fine.  I say 4.0 because this is the 4th different facial surgery he's had and each time his looks change some, but this one is by far the most drastic. He's like a new kid!  Even his voice has changed and is a bit more nasally right now.  

Our little cherub still holding tight to the halo

 We had to wait a bit for the anesthesia to wear off and then wheeled him to get pictures, xrays, and remeasured by Dr. Chan the anthropologist.  His cheeks are still a bit swollen and will be for a week or so, but the initial measurements are all good.  The happiest surprise is that his side to side measurements came back equal which means his face is almost perfectly symmetrical now instead of the left side being slightly smaller and narrower.  We left the hospital  a bit after 1pm, grabbed a quick bite at In & Out Burger and are letting the rest of the anesthesia wear off in the hotel before we figure out what else we may do today.

So far the funniest part is he wants to keep carrying the halo around like a stuffed animal.  I guess he got kind of 'attached' to his purple crown.  Tomorrow we drive back to Atlanta and will hopefully be able to stop off for a quick visit with a couple more families on the way home.

Thank you all for your continued thoughts and prayers throughout this journey.  We all appreciate them so much and we know its been a big help.  God does some amazing things and has put some amazing people into our lives and we're thankful for that every day of our lives!

Checking himself out in the mirror for the 1st time