Post about school to come - I actually started one weeks ago so I'll finish it soon. It's been six weeks since they started, and they LOVE it! This post is reserved for Samuel's eyes :)
Where to start... on September 15th our Samuel had surgery on both eyes to try and align his vision. I've mentioned it before (post from February with eye details), but his eyes are what I call "googlie." For most kiddos, they would have already had this surgery, but Samuel's lungs have not been healthy enough to go through any type of surgery unless it was absolutely necessary, meaning life-saving. While his eyes are SO important (he is making HUGE strides since the surgery!), we just couldn't risk it. But now, NOW, he is getting healthier! Other surgeries are still on hold, but it was a good feeling to get clearance for this one.
Samuel's eyes were so "googlie" that the doc was amazed he was able to straighten them, ever. The degree to which they drifted was so far, that if it were you or me, we wouldn't be able to straighten them. Because his brain has been doing this for almost his entire life, Samuel was able to bring them together... but it's a lot of work. His brain had to work in overdrive just to see straight, and we were told that any day his brain could decide it was just too much and stop aligning the eyes. You can still have the surgery if that happens, but I think the success rate is higher if you can have surgery while your brain is still engaging in aligning the eyes.
The doc loosened the muscles around the outside of the eyes - that's the easiest way to explain it. From there, the inside muscles should tighten on their own and he should have straight vision. We find out in a week if we need to have another procedure to tighten those muscles with surgery.
My red, bleary, puffy eyed boy was incredible! Samuel did awesome. His eyes are pretty much back to normal now... the puffiness is down, the bleariness is definitely gone, and the bloody whites of his eyes are pretty much white again. BUT... he is a new boy! I'm pretty sure his smile is bigger, and I'm pretty sure he is funnier, but I am absolutely sure that he is doing and saying more :)
I've heard incredible stories from other parents about the accomplishments of their children after eye surgery, and now Samuel is a prime example. I can't imagine how wonderful it would be to see straight! For seeing not to be such hard work!
A few photos from surgery day...
Marked up and ready to go...
(On a side note, something I don't want to forget... even though we had to leave home at 4:30am, Samuel was all smiles. That's just the way he is! For the most part, that kid just wakes up happy to celebrate every single day. He, of course, makes me smile... even at the crack of dawn :) )
In recovery, but still under general anesthesia :) No, we didn't pose him like this! Samuel sleeps like this often, but to see him this way in the recovery unit was too funny. The head anesthesiologist even asked if he could bring a few other docs over to see this cute boy... of course!
On the way home... still a little out of it, but lookin' good in his post-op glasses :)
The best part, we were headed HOME the same day as surgery!!
Can't believe I didn't take any of his red eyes - they were really something.
Can't believe I didn't take any of his red eyes - they were really something.
If you're read this far, it was worth it :) Here's more excellent news... Samuel is officially toddling! In the last few days his walking has improved exponentially! It's crazy. Since that post about him taking 26 steps, he had pretty much stopped walking. I think he got tired of falling, and honestly, I can't imagine trying to walk if it was such hard work just to see. But now, he toddling all over the place!
No photos of the toddling, DB and I just stare in disbelief. I'll try to snap out of my shock and take some photos soon. Instead, some summer recap... hard to believe these photos were just two months ago, the babies look so different now!
