Hello Everyone! Better late than never, but here is the latest update after meeting with the surgeon last Thursday.

First of all, he was exactly what we were hoping for! AWESOME!! He spent over an hour with us answering questions we had and ones we hadn't thought of yet. In addition, Dr. Smith went over the steps and timeline of what will happen when Talen/ Tallen is born (haven't figured out the spelling yet). Soo, here is the latest:

He confirmed that we will not know the status of the palate until the little man arrives....so assuming and hoping that he only has a cleft lip, here are the surgeries:

1. Repair of the lip (approx. 10 weeks old), he will also do as much as he can with the nose if the nostril is also affected on the cleft side.
2. His next surgery will not be until before kindergarten and that will be to polish the first surgery with the lip, nose, or both
3. The "bone grafting" on the cleft side in his gums to eventually put in a false tooth.
4. Anything left that needs repair around the age of 14 or when his face is fully developed.

If his palate is affected:
1. Closure of the palate around a year old. (I am meeting with a feeding specialist this week...who knew there was such a thing?!?!). She will help me prepare for this as he will not be able to eat like other babies.
2. Pharyongoplasty at around 2 years ( if his speech is affected).
3. Jaw surgery at completion of growth if jaws noticeably do not bite down to one another!

I asked Dr. Smith at the end of our meeting, "with all due respect, Jeff and I naturally want what is best for our child, if your child was born with a cleft lip or palate, would you want your team to perform the operations?" His answer was exactly what I was hoping he would say: "I have done my soul searching about a decade ago. When I rotated at the Austrailia World Children's Center, I realized the passion I had when I was able to grow with my patients and watch the rewards take place at my fingertips. I realized that the repairs I had done were either as good as or mostly better than those I had seen before and those currently being repaired."

Long story short, Dr. Smith just earned a spot on the Stallings' Christmas card list!!!

If any of you have any questions at all, please feel free to email me at bethanie.stallings@gmail.com or just post it on the blog.

Love you all,
Beth, Jeff and Talen/Tallen