Tuesday, May 4, 2010

GREAT news!

A month ago Lash got a CT scan at Kosairs, ordered by his ENT. Today, Todd & he met with the doctor to discuss the findings of the scan. Before I go any further, let me rewind.



At 4 months old, Lash's CT scan was not favorable of the middle ear's development. In fact, his middle ear was deemed so underdeveloped that any internal surgery was written off as too dangerous. We have come to understand that he was never going to have a functional middle ear, & a hearing aid would supplement that. This was 2006.



Back to 2010. After reading the most recent CT scan, the ENT concluded that Lash is a perfect canidate for internal reconstructive surgery. His middle ears can be completely "fixed" as will his outter ears.



It will be a 2 year process, but by the time Lash 7-ish he will have 2 normal looking & FUNCTIONING ears! Hearing aid free. Miracles do happen!



Thanks to everyone for good thoughts & prayers.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

A Little Disappointing


After a much anticipated visit with Lash's plastic surgeon, we walked away a bit disappointed, yet faithful. The point of this meeting was to plan his upcoming plastic surgery to construct the first of both ears. We were ready to hear anything. After considering his size, age, & growth development, surgeon Dr. Mark Chariker decided for best results & quick recovery we should wait until Lash is 5 years of age to embark on the intensive plastic surgery. This surgery will involve a small incision on his ribs to collect cartilage needed to supplement what his microtia denied him & then the attachment/construction under the first layer of skin of where his "new ears" will be located. This will be done on separate occasions for both ears over the span of 1 &1/2 years.


We are faithful that his surgeon knows best & that the Lord's will is being done. One more year of waiting for a lifetime of benefit is a small sacrifice.


There was a ray of optimistic news though. The titanium implant needed for his hearing aid IS something that we can pursue this summer. After leaving the surgeon's office I called the ENT (ear, nose, throat) doctor who will be conducting this procedure. We expect to hear back from him soon for a CT scan.


Lash is just now understanding that he will be getting "new ears", though no different than any other little, wild, "spirited" boy.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Plastic Surgeon


After a year of searching the internet, on the phone, & e-mailing all over the country we finally found a surgeon...or rather, one found us. Dr. Chariker has been under our nose in Louisville. On a trip to Kosairs Hospital to remove a piece of stuffing Lash had shoved up his nose (ahhh, toddlers) one of the doctors asked us out of curiosity if we had considered reconstructive surgery. We looked at each other in exhaust & replied "Yes". Once the wad of cotton had been removed we were given Dr. Chariker's name & contact info. A month later we were sitting in his office. After meeting with him we are relieved to know that Lash will be in good hands, & will surgeries will take place before Kindergarten. While there, we saw several photographs of before & after reconstructions. After only 2 weeks, all swelling had gone down & a complete ear was already visible.

Dr. Chariker is confident only one surgery per ear will be necessary. He came highly recommended, is very picky, a perfectionist, & we were elated to get the ball rolling. They will get started summer of 2010. The first will have to heal over 6 months or more before the second ear will begin. We tell Lash he's getting an ear for his birthday. Then, if he's good, Santa will bring the other.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

What the heck is Microtia?





this information comes via the The National Craniofacial Association in Chattanooga, TN








What is Microtia?
Microtia is an incompletely formed ear. It ranges in severity from a bump of tissue to a partially formed ear. In most cases, only one ear is affected. In that case, it is called Unilateral Microtia. If both ears are affected, it is called Bilateral Microtia. Unilateral Microtia occurs in 1 out of 8,000 births and Bilateral Microtia occurs in 1 out of 25,000 births. (Lucky us!)





Why did this happen?
At this time, no one knows why Microtia occurs; however, there is nothing to suggest that the mother's actions during pregnancy caused the Microtia. There have been correlations to its appearance along with either Goldenhar Syndrome or Trecher-Collins Syndrome.




Here is a diagram of a normal ear.
Microtia patients' outter ear (Pinna), external auditory canal, eardrum, and much of the middle ear are most times severly underdeveloped.
In most cases, the Inner ear & Cochlea are not effected.
So, How Does This Effect Hearing?
~ microtia patients are not technically "deaf" , their inner ear (in most cases) is not effected.
~ those with Microtia will experience Conductive Hearing Loss, meaning that the passage soundwaves travel is obstructed.

~ About a 40% reduction of hearing in the affected ear
~ Problems locating the direction from which a sound comes
~ Speech Development is expected to be delayed
So What Can Be Done?
~ reconstructive surgeries are available for both the outter & middle ear depending on the severaty of the microtia
~ an external bone anchored hearing aid (BAHA) is suggested at earliest of age
~ regular speech therapy

Some Hope (posted by Cass)


The hospital where Lash was born could give us no definite answers of WHAT or WHY. After a few days of having him home a relative brought over a gift. Nothing unusual. But when I opened it my stress & fear broke through my calm facade. I had to remove myself from the crowded room to the nursery. I was angry & scared looking down at the CD of Classical music. Actually after only a moment I could see nothing due to my tears. Todd, my husband, slowly opened the door. We quickly made a decision. A few bags were packed, phone calls made, & we were on our way to the Louisville Kosairs Children's Hospital Emergency Room.


It was the first of many to come, but while there we spoke to several compassionate doctors & nurses. We were given names, referals, answers, but most of all....HOPE.

The Day We Met Lash


Lashley Alton Davenport was born to us on the hottest day of the year in 2006. Minutes after the euphoria of a new life in my arms set in, fear & uncertainty quickly swept over me. I noticed that instead of 2 normal ears there was a pair of wadded flesh in their place. I raced through the last 9 months of my life looking for some reasoning behind this anomaly. Did I eat sushi before I knew I was pregnant? Did I overexhurt myself at work? Was I ever near a nuclear reactor leak? Weird stuff that now make no sense was courseing through my thoughts. While still in the hospital through the broken English of an inconsiderate pediatrition we heard words like "microtia", "atresia", "syndrome", "spinal bifida", and more. We were scared & fearful for our son's future. Would my child ever enjoy music, fall asleep to the rain, cringe at nails on chalkboard, smile at his grandfather's signiture laugh? Or would he not? Instead, would he be trapped in a confused world of deafening silence?