Bethany is home and recovering well...

A quick update on Bethany... She came home late yesterday afternoon as she was doing well with her liquid intake and pain control. They usually say two nights in the hospital because the surgery is usually done on children that are younger than Bethany. I've included some pictures that better tell the story of her (and our) experience. Thanks for all of your prayers through this. She is doing very well!

Just before surgery after we got her dressed in the hospital pjs she began to get the worried look... It makes us wonder what her surgery experience was like before we got her. We believe that she had two prior surgeries to repair her lip while in China. Shortly after this picture was taken I carried her to the operating room where the anesthesiologist gave her the "sleepy gas" to put her out for the procedure(s).

After over 2 1/2 hours we were finally able to see Bethany again. It's kind of hard to see her so groggy, bleeding and in pain. Thankfully the doctor and nurses did a great job of staying ahead of the pain. The first day she really just dozed in and out of consciousness. That was a good thing as I'm sure that everything felt sore from her ears (tubes) to her lip (removal of dysfunctional salivary glands) to the biggest part, the installation of the soft palate. The doctor said that we shouldn't look in her mouth because it will appear as if a bomb had gone off in there. He then said I know you're going to look but I just wanted to warn you. He was right. The soft palate was literally formed from existing skin from within her mouth/nose. Amazing! Keep in mind, Bethany woke up with a much smaller airway to breathe through and a much smaller space to move her tongue. Instead of breathing through a large space which consisted of both her nasal cavity and mouth ,she now had two smaller spaces to breathe through. The doc said that this can be a big shock for them as well.

Bethany's room. Notice Bethany's arms. After surgery "no no's" are strapped to her arms to ensure that she cannot touch her mouth. These are velcro-shut tubes that keep her from bending her elbows. She still has mobility but it is very limited. This was and continues to be a source of frustration. Within moments after waking up, she complained about these and thankfully yesterday we were able to remove them when she is closely supervised. She must wear them at night for the next two weeks. My parents came to help and keep us company. We were glad to have them!

Bethany really perked up when her brothers arrived for a visit on the second day. She was also glad to have the no no's off!

Finally, a picture before all of this happened. Easter morning. Doesn't everyone look happy?

Thanks again for checking in. We have a resilient and amazing little girl!

Dan for the family