The Next Steps are In Place

So yesterday was Keziah's appointment at Sick Kids, a time for Dr. Zuker to have a look as to how well she is healing, and then make plans for the next bit of removal.

Seeing as Lincoln was coming with us, and that the traffic was going to be a nightmare, we decided to make it a bit of a family adventure. We took the train all the way in! This being the first time on a train for them (second time for Nathan...;), everyone was pretty excited!!

While taking the train wasn't any quicker, it sure saved us from sitting through all of this:

But the adventure didn't stop when the train did - it was then off to head underground, to enjoy a quick ride on the subway:

At last we made it to the hospital, with a bit of time to spare for Lincoln to enjoy some of the activities. The last time Lincoln was at any of her appointments was 2 years ago! He was 6 months old. Sob!!

After the appointment, timbits were enjoyed and then back onto the subway, then the train to go home.

Oh, yes, before we left, Ms. Valentina spoiled Keziah with a book and some extra special beads - even train beads!!!

So, the plan: Keziah is booked for surgery mid-October, where Dr. Zuker will do serial excision under her eye, up her temple, and under her eyebrow, as much as he can without distorting the eye. He will also shorten her eyebrow, meaning, cut away the darkest end of it, which goes too far past her eye.

Even though Dr. Zuker said he has space in July to do this, he and I both concluded that we would leave her be this summer so she can enjoy all the activities summer has to offer. So she misses a bit of school come Fall. It's *just* kindergarten (I can't believe I wrote that....). She most likely will miss a week or two and that's it. Nothing I can't do with her, seeing as I have practiced on hundreds of kindergarten kids before she came along :o)

And so, this girl looks forward to swimming and camping.....but not the bug bites! Yes, that is one bug bite on her forehead. It swelled up even more! It really does look like she has an expander (in its very early stages) on her forehead!!

So, we will "see" you sometime in October! Until then, have a great summer (or winter....as I know I have some Australian friends that read this) and stay safe!

3 Month Post Surgery Appointment

* Note: I spent the last weeks reading up on watermarks etc. on my photos, especially after what happened to one of Keziah's pictures (you can read about that on the post before this one); however, the more studying I did on it, the truth of the matter is, if someone wants to steal your picture, they can and will, even with a watermark on it. That's just the reality of pictures being "out there". And so, after much searching, we will continue to post pictures and not bother with a watermark. As many articles stated, putting a watermark on the pictures takes extra time (I have yet to find a program that makes it easy to do and not permanent - meaning, I can still use the pictures for her regular photo album without each picture having a watermark on it), which in the end, wouldn't make much of a difference anyway. The only way to really have a watermark work its best is to have it large and cover the center of the picture. Yeah, kind of pointless then to post a picture when you can't see the image very well. So on we shall go, mindful and alert. And once again, in case you missed it - THANKS a WHOLE bunch to those who went to bat for Keziah, including the very first person who notified me about it.

After a nice 3 month break of weekly hospital visits, tomorrow we go back for a follow up visit with Dr. Zuker. At this visit, he will have a look at how Keziah's incisions are healing, as well as make a plan for around her eye.

Keziah's incisions have healed up, with an open spot here and there where a stitch is making its way through. But other than that, they are all sealed up. Her head must have really done some growing in the last 3 months as the scar lines have widened considerably.

Until we do scar revision (most likely once she is a teenager, unless Dr. Zuker comes up with a plan for this tomorrow), we are thankful for her thick hair which, when styled certain ways, covers the gaps pretty nicely:

The hair that was shaved off is growing, about 2.5 inches long now. And because of the top of her hair now being on the side of her head due to the stretched skin, her hair length is quite uneven. That means her next appointment will be for a good hair cut (are you reading this, Lynne? :o)

(you can see the locks on the left that are longer than the rest of her hair length)

Keziah knows where we are going and is fine with it - especially when the answer to her question of "will he do anything to me?" was answered in the way she was hoping - Nope. :o)

(no, that isn't an expander in the middle of her forehead but a bug bite!! At the rate it's growing, it looks like we may have some extra skin :o)

We will keep you updated as to how tomorrow's appointment goes and what the next steps are. Thanks for reading!!