"By adopting a child and helping them reach their potential, they help us reach ours. An adopted child is not an unwanted child; to the contrary. They are a child who was searched for, prayed for, cried for, begged for; received by arms that ached, making empty hearts full. Love is meant to be shared." Author unknown

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

First Expander fill - Jan 22th

We did the first expander fill 10 days post surgery, which is also when we also had to remove Corban's two back drains.  Ten days is the maximum amount of time they want the drains in or there become an increased risk for infection.   

The first fills went about as well as could be expected.  The boys were not thrilled about the process but neither were mom or dad.  It is a long process when you have to fill six expanders. We filled them on the conservative side since the incisions, where the expanders were inserted, were not likely fully healed.

Here are some picture of what their expanders looked like after their first fill:


Guess I didn't get Corban's forehead but here are his back expanders - front and back view.  The two nodules you see in the Nevus, on his lower back, are the ports that I insert the needle into to do the expansions. After the first fill of injecting 35 cc's into each back expander, they are each at a total of 165 cc's, our goal is 750 in each. 


Tegan's expanders after the first fill: Neck is at 38 (250 goal), forehead is at 36 (250 goal) and the back of his head is at 67 (350 goal) cc's

Corban's expanders don't seem to bother him at all.  Tegan is not a fan of laying on the back of his head unless there is a pillow under his head.  Other than that, I think he is mainly just annoyed with the next expander as he cannot turn his head in that direction.  I don't remember Angel being limited in her head movement till towards the end of expansion but I think his is placed a little lower than hers was.

1 comment:

  1. They are such troopers!!! (and so are you guys!) Continued prayers for the process.

    ReplyDelete

Pictures of our Journey to bring Tegan and Corban home!