my son had translab at house yesterday with drs. miller and schwartz. everyone who says dr. schwartz is brilliant is not exaggerating. everyone who hasn't had dr. miller - which i think is everyone - she's warm, competent, and honestly, we all absolutely love her. this may sound silly, but every time i've been within five feet of her i've felt nothing other than relaxed, reassured, and like my son was her most important patient. and there was nothing more surreal than leaving room 618 at 5:30p and seeing them walking down the hall toward us, relaxed easy strides and smiles on their faces after starting on him 10 hours earlier. they might as well have been playing golf for the prior six hours. i can't quite describe it. "oh, everything went fine. yes, it was totally removed. his facial nerve looks perfect. nbd." amazing. like it was a bunch of nothing, easy peasy.
2.8, total removal. no facial nerve damage (though we recognize he could eventually develop weakness, and it does appear that swelling has resulted in some so far). surgery was ten hours - 7:30a to 5:30p. he was sitting up smiling within 19 hours after surgery, and walking with his PT at 21. tonight was rough (the pain is no joke, and there are other things to report to those just starting out), and we're still so early into the process (so most likely more to report as things progress), but that's the current upshot. it's an emotional night and it's not all positive, but from the standpoint of the surgery itself, i'm not sure how it could have gone more smoothly.
i will definitely have more to say once we're home and as things march onward, and it's certainly not all wine and roses (more on that later). but that's the state of things currently, and the point for this particular missive is that these doctors gave him the best start he could have hoped for.
no small credit goes to the team at large. his rn, his audiologist, his anesthesiologist - they were all wonderful.
again, i'll expound when things calm down and when there's more to report. also, if someone can offer some quick tips, i'll post pictures just before and within 18 hours after surgery.
