A couple of weeks ago, one of Declan's therapist suggested we visit a specialist to determine if anything needed to be done. She could see that if he had a piece of food in the side of his mouth by his cheek he couldn't get to it with his tongue. The ENT immediately confirmed that it was indeed tight and without hesitation recommended Declan have the procedure. So two weeks later and after an early morning trek to the hospital here we sit in the all too familiar surgery waiting room.
With Declan's birthday this coming Saturday the 14th, it's amazing to think about what he has been through this year - four operations intermixed with countless small obstacles and hurdles. But he has been such a fighter. I can only hope to have as much strength as I have watched from Declan. His obstacles have ranged from intense reconstructive heart surgeries and seizures down to such simple tasks as learning to eat. Our own emotions have had a similar range from fright and despair to hope and elation.
I think that the past two weeks have been some of the most joyful. Declan has taken some huge strides of improvement. He has actually began to show some interest in eating! He still refuses a bottle but he has been more willing to eat purified baby food in small doses and has also shown interest in nibbling on bread crumbs and those delicious looking baby puffs! Although he has just his two bottom front teeth, he uses them often, especially when he takes his hands and puts them on your cheeks and pulls your face close to his and tries to kiss/bite your nose or cheeks.
He also started crawling this week - YES!. The therapists were very excited. We love to watch his thoughtful crawl - watching his mind determine which toy is the shortest distance and pulling his little legs one and sometimes two at a time. It is such a miracle to watch our little guy move into the "normal" baby stages and enjoy his little personality.
We are now at home after a successful surgery. He has been crying a bit, but overall the doctor was pleased. Declan is still deciding what to do with the extra mobility in his tongue. His tongue and mouth movements remind me of the feeling after you've returned from a Novocaine-filled dentist visit. Your tongue slops around in your mouth and you feel like you are drooling. The Doc said we can try food again soon and look forward to Declan's reaction. Thanks to all for your thoughts and prayers and to those out there who have similar Congenital Heart Defects: know that there is light at the end of the tunnel. And although it sometimes seems to never get closer it does. It gets closer with very small steps but it does get closer.
