Bilateral medial recession

SURGERY COMPLETE!!

McKenna’s surgery was 5/21 at 9:30am. We had to be there 2 hours early and the drive was an hour! So the wait was horrendous! I do not understand why we have to be there so early but anyway. My husband went in when they gave her the gas and he couldn’t talk about it for about 15 mins, he said he never wants to see her like that again (that’s why I made him do it). The surgery took about an hour, and that went by VERY fast. We went into the phase 1 recovery area and she was already fighting with a nurse, I think she woke up alone and got tangled in her IV line. She couldn’t open her eyes and focus on anything from the anesthesia and she was still groggy so the first 20 mins were the roughest. Her tears were blood and since the nasal passages and everything are connected her runny nose (from crying) was bloody as well, but that passed within a minute or so, THANK GOD! We moved to phase 2 recovery and once they took off the board and IV from her arm she calmed down because that is the thumb she sucks and she couldn’t get to it. She drank some juice and didn’t get sick so within a total of about 30mins from the end of surgery we left to come home. We brought her sunglasses which I think helped and she fell right to sleep once we got on the road. She napped again after about 20 mins at home and did well the rest of the night. She never did vomit from eating and we gave her milk for bed.

She only tried to rub her eyes when she first came out of anesthesia but I think that is because she couldn’t see correctly. Since then she has been great! Putting in the ointment is difficult and definately takes two people, but once I am done she doesn’t cry anymore. We noticed double vision for the first 2 days as she would try to pick things up. This is actually a good sign in that her eyes are trying to work together as they hadn’t before. We worked with her like “Where’s mommy’s nose” and having her pick up small objects, and it has improved dramatically. Her eyes do wander slightly to the outside now and then but for another few weeks we won’t be able to tell if they are just adjusting or if it was an over correction.

McKenna also has a Hypoplastic Cerebellum; this effects her balance and coordination; so on top of not having any depth perception her balance has been delayed so at 22 months she has still been working on walking. Since the surgery she has really been more balanced and is doing wonderfully with her practicing! She is even carrying things while she walks now which she sould never do before because she needed her arms out to balance.

So, right now we are very pleased with the surgery and look forward to her further development. I am sure she will be happy when she can play in the bath in about a week and we don’t have to put the ointment in her eyes anymore. Here is a picture the day after surgery so you can see what to expect with the redness.

Take care!!