Monday, December 27, 2010

NAM...Weeks 5, 6 and 7. Busy, Busy, Busy.

Well, I've obviously not updated in a couple of weeks. Got to love, love, love the holidays.

Moving on. There is not too incredibly much to update on, really. Kaylee Monster got her new NAM a few weeks ago. This one was fit to her new mouth size, and at the Week 5 visit we were told her space was back up to around 6 millimeters. So, a little backwards progress, but perfectly normal and natural according to Dr. H.

However, at her Week 6 visit we were surprised to find that she was now at a 4 millimeter measurement and not only that but that the two sides of her upper jaw were now close enough to completely reshape her NAM so that it is more like an actual retainer, that is to say that the bit of the NAM that went into the cleft of the roof of her mouth was complete shaved out. It now houses her entire upper jaw.

Week 7 did not warrant a visit because Dr. H. has gone on vacation. So, we got a break on driving to Denver which is always good. One week without having to refill the gas tank. I am noticing, however that her upper jaw and the space in between it is getting harder and harder to clean due to the fact that I can no longer fit the Q-tips through that space any longer!

Literally in the last three weeks I have watched as these two sides have come closer and closer together to the point of almost touching. Soon enough she will have her nasal stent put in to shape her nostril and then she will have her first surgery. I can't believe how time has flown. I am so excited to see her new smile, even though I know I will miss the old one.

Developmentally, I am finding that she seems to be on the right track. Tummy time is going better and better everyday, and she is showing signs of wanting to sit up on her own already. I've also noticed that she has discovered her hands and mouth and wastes no time in trying to fit her fist and her nipple in her mouth at the same time. I've caught her sucking on her thumb, and also pulling on her tongue. She is doing well. She even made me cry the other day...she giggled at me.  A real, honest to goodness giggle.

She is already three whole months old. They grow so quickly, I can remember finding out I was pregnant around this time last year, and now she is three months old. Anyway, I've had some computer problems in the last week and all of her NAM pictures plus all of her normal everyday candid photos were not save-able. So I don't have any pictures of her mouth for the last three weeks, I will get a picture of her upper jaw tomorrow at the dentist's office and will post that when I get home.

Week 8 begins tomorrow, and I am hoping we do get her nasal stent and also hoping that we get an appointment date for her first surgery. We know her surgeon is going to be a Dr. Allen who works at Children's in Denver, so that will be good. Hopefully around the beginning of February. We shall see and I will let you all know, of course.

Well, that is all for now and please excuse the wall of text today. I will leave you, however, with a bit of cuteness: Kaylee in her Christmas outfit! Happy Holidays! The Thomas Family.

She was angry. But you can kind of see her nose and how much better it looks.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Week 4...The NAM is Too Big Now.

So, as we progress through with the NAM treatment, we've come to a startling realization: the NAM is now too big for her mouth. Since the goal is to move her upper jaw into it's proper alignment it is logical that as it is moved the apparatus moving it would cease to fit in a smaller mouth. We get a new one today (incidentally this is the middle of week 5, but I've been too busy to update:), and she will start week six with a new NAM and a few more millimeters of movement. Soon we'll add the nasal mold to help shape her nostril.

As of last Tuesday (three days ago) she was at 5.5 millimeters. She is doing so well, even Dr. Harris was surprised. We are moving along right on schedule and should have surgery scheduled for the end of January or beginning of February - that is if all things continue to go smoothly. As the time goes by, however, I get more and more nervous. Until I had my c-section I had never been in surgery and thought that was the scariest thing ever. Now as Kaylee is moving along towards her first of many surgeries, I realize now that this is the scariest thing ever. No parent wants to have their children go through that.

Anyway, Kaylee is now 10 weeks old. She is developing wonderfully. We are getting hourly smiles - big toothless grins that just warm the heart. She is discovering her voice and will talk your ear off about something only she understands. Her hands have become an object of fascination for her, and she is figuring out that the pink hippo squeeks, so she laughs when it does. My daughter is becoming a little person, and so far she seems very, very content. I'm dreading her growing up, but that is what they do, they grow up.

Here are the pictures for this week. Enjoy them. Love - US.

Week 4 - 5 and 1/2 millimeters.

A smile at mom. I couldn't help it she is too adorable.