This is Nathan Guochang. He's 10 years old and a very brave little boy.
Last August he had a bone graft for his cleft palate on his right avelor ridge.
Unfortunately, he has a very large hole. The largest hole his doctor has ever seen (and his doctor travels around the world helping children).
The bone graft became infected because his hole did not close all the way after the surgery. An infection can happen even if there is a tiny opening and that's exactly what happened.
So, we had many doctor visits to removed the infected bone. At least he didn't need to have it surgically removed.
So the plan was to schedule another surgery right before Christmas.
But there was a change in plans.
The week of Thanksgiving his doctor called to tell me that his hole became larger (probably due to the infection) and he will need three separate surgeries now.
So his first surgery was on Dec. 2, 2014. His hole needed to be closed before they filled it with bone again. In order to do this they grafted skin from under his lip and the top of this tongue. "Okay, a skin graft," I thought to myself, "that's not too bad."
But the tissue needs to stay alive and healthy.
This is where Nathan becomes a courageous little soul. Braver than anyone I know.
The doctors sutured his tongue to his palate in order to keep blood flow to the area, to keep the tissue alive and prevent infection. They also attached screws and rubber bands to his teeth in order to keep his mouth closed.
He had to remain like this for 3 WEEKS!
This means NO EATING! NO TALKING! He could only drink from a straw for 3 WEEKS during the Christmas season.
I don't know about you, but I would have gone CRAZY!
Not Nathan! He was a REAL TROOPER through it all! He never complained or cried about anything. He was so very patient!
The Lord really gave him such endurance and patience through it all!
On Dec. 23, 2014 (yes the day before Christmas Eve and 2 days before Christmas Day), he had his second surgery to release his tongue from his palate. HOORAY!!! He was still on a liquid diet for 3 weeks but at least his tongue was free, he could talk again and he didn't need to drink everything from a straw.
His doctor said the flap they created to close his hole is healthy and healing.Thank you Lord!
So his final surgery is scheduled for March 24, 2015. They will graft bone from his hip again to fill in the hole, however this time his opening is already closed and hopefully will not become infected.
He shouldn't need anymore surgeries for a few years!
Thank you Lord for giving us such a WONDERFUL, PATIENT, and COURAGEOUS little boy!
We are thankful also for all the wonderful nurses in the surgery center and on the hospital floor who were very caring, kind, and helpful to us through all of his surgeries.
The bone graft became infected because his hole did not close all the way after the surgery. An infection can happen even if there is a tiny opening and that's exactly what happened.
So, we had many doctor visits to removed the infected bone. At least he didn't need to have it surgically removed.
So the plan was to schedule another surgery right before Christmas.
But there was a change in plans.
The week of Thanksgiving his doctor called to tell me that his hole became larger (probably due to the infection) and he will need three separate surgeries now.
So his first surgery was on Dec. 2, 2014. His hole needed to be closed before they filled it with bone again. In order to do this they grafted skin from under his lip and the top of this tongue. "Okay, a skin graft," I thought to myself, "that's not too bad."
But the tissue needs to stay alive and healthy.
This is where Nathan becomes a courageous little soul. Braver than anyone I know.
The doctors sutured his tongue to his palate in order to keep blood flow to the area, to keep the tissue alive and prevent infection. They also attached screws and rubber bands to his teeth in order to keep his mouth closed.
He had to remain like this for 3 WEEKS!
This means NO EATING! NO TALKING! He could only drink from a straw for 3 WEEKS during the Christmas season.
I don't know about you, but I would have gone CRAZY!
Not Nathan! He was a REAL TROOPER through it all! He never complained or cried about anything. He was so very patient!
The Lord really gave him such endurance and patience through it all!
On Dec. 23, 2014 (yes the day before Christmas Eve and 2 days before Christmas Day), he had his second surgery to release his tongue from his palate. HOORAY!!! He was still on a liquid diet for 3 weeks but at least his tongue was free, he could talk again and he didn't need to drink everything from a straw.
His doctor said the flap they created to close his hole is healthy and healing.Thank you Lord!
So his final surgery is scheduled for March 24, 2015. They will graft bone from his hip again to fill in the hole, however this time his opening is already closed and hopefully will not become infected.
He shouldn't need anymore surgeries for a few years!
Thank you Lord for giving us such a WONDERFUL, PATIENT, and COURAGEOUS little boy!
We are thankful also for all the wonderful nurses in the surgery center and on the hospital floor who were very caring, kind, and helpful to us through all of his surgeries.
Laura,
ReplyDeleteWe are praying for your little guy. God placed him in the perfect family for him. We will see you all in May. Keep warm.