Wednesday Update

Melody came through surgery like a trooper, praise God! The doctor's first words to us were "it was really hard" (closing her palate, that is). The opening was really wide and there wasn't a lot to work with, but the doctor managed to close it up. He seemed pretty sure that it would open a bit in time and that we'd need to come back in a year or so. For now, we are just so glad that it is done! When I first saw her she was so puffy from swelling. She still is, but I think it's getting better. She looks like she has one of those football player mouth guards in her mouth. I told Larry that she has "perma-pout." She slept most of the day yesterday, waking up only to cry to be held. This morning we are seeing more of her sweet personality emerge. She even tried to sign "daddy," but it's kind of hard with restraints keeping your arms from bending! (She is wearing "splints" that keep her elbows straight so that she can't get her hands in her mouth.) The doctor came by this morning and removed the stitch that was through her tongue and taped to her cheek. She looks more and more like my little girl again. She even gave us a little smile. Talk about melting a mother's heart!

Today's mission is to get Melody to consume liquids by mouth. As you might imagine, she is not too thrilled with that idea. She will accept liquid dribbled into her mouth, but she doesn't want to swallow. I imagine the pain is great. She has been receiving morphine for the pain, which then makes her sleepy and out of it. Today we hope to switch over to Tylenol with codeine. Please pray that we will find a way to help her drink. If she can at least start, they will remove the IV and allow her some more freedom of movement. Ultimately, it is also our ticket out of here! At this point, I'm hoping to go home on Friday, but we'll see.

I will post pictures when I can. Right now I'm on the hospital kiosk, so I can't connect my camera. I'll be back when I can. Thanks so much for your encouragement and prayers. We feel them!