A new smile awaits us

This Friday, Tyson will have his first cleft repair/revision. When we brought him home, we noticed the red scar above his lip on his left side. We never gave it much thought and just figured it was a surgery scar. It wasn't until the night before his first cleft appointment (after having him for a month) that I realized his open cleft was on the left, but this mark was on the right. How could it be a surgery scar?

We didn't see any pictures of his open cleft before we adopted him, so when we saw this picture in China, we saw a beautiful boy with expressive eyes, and one wide left unilateral cleft lip. His lip was repaired in China, and all paperwork said it was a unilateral cleft lip.

So what was that little red mark that we didn't see in pictures? Come to find out, it is another cleft! Tyson is actually considered bi-lateral cleft lip. So on Friday, we are repairing the other cleft, which means that red mark will be gone. Here is a pretty good self-portrait that Tyson took of himself from my iPhone so you can see it.

Several people say they don't even notice it, but those are people around us all the time. For others, it's their first big clue that Tyson was born with a cleft lip/palate. It may not seem like a big deal, but you have to put yourself in Tyson's shoes when he's 13. I'm sure he'd like it to not be visible. In addition, he actually asks why we all have a ridge from our nose to our lip, and he doesn't. He wants the surgeon to give him one. That is not something we have ever pointed out; he pointed it out, so obviously, he notices.

In June, the surgeon also said that due to the way that his cleft lip in China was repaired, there really isn't a way to make his lip symmetrical, but they will do the best they can. I am not sure what to expect. I don't think it will be drastic, but it will be different. I will miss his smile, but I'm also excited to see his new one!

As for another surgery--this is #6.
1. Cleft Lip Repair in China
2. Cleft palate repair here, along with ear tubes
3. Ear Tubes reinserted
4. Appendix out (really?)
5. Inguinal Hernia (seriously?)

So yeah, two surgeries not even cleft related! So this will be #6. We would really appreciate prayers for our health this week, specifically for Tyson.

For me, it's crazy because I tell myself it's "just a lip repair" Compared with the others, the only other one I'd consider as minor was the ear tubes reinserted. The surgeon said it's only day surgery, so we will go up and back in one day.

For surgery #5, I actually went by myself with him. But it wasn't until he was in actual surgery for the hernia that I thought, "Wow, my baby boy is under the knife." I got really scared and wished someone was with me. I told my husband, as tough as I may seem (and am), I will never go to a surgery alone again, and not just because of the emotional side. All I can say is imagine Tyson, 3 hours post surgery as I am trying to pick his prescriptions, and HE IS RUNNING through the lobby with a balloon after surgery! Enough said! Someone has to come to keep an eye on him while mom does paperwork! Holy cow, that kid is a machine!

Oh, and after surgery #5 at Mary Bridge (MB was surgeries #4 and 5 since they were not cleft related) another parent told me that Tyson kept calling for me, and they did NOT come get me! Yes, I told them Ty's background, so yeah, I was NOT a happy mom. They were NOT receptive to our attachment issues and needs. Seattle Childrens was great for surgeries #2 and #3, and they'd better keep that up!

So I leave you with a happy picture of my boy. He loves his hot chocolate with whipped cream!

Thanks for the prayers.