Stitches, Stitches No More Stitches!

Ethan got his stitches out today and he looks great!!! Bob thinks getting the stitches out was a major improvement in Ethan's appearance. I think it looks better because he doesn't look like he has stubble. The stitches were black, so it looked like short hair growing out of his scar. Of course as we expected, Ethan was VERY unhappy about getting his stitches out. The nurse swaddled him and then another lady held Ethan's head still. I stood right at his head so he could see me, but I hate it when he cries really hard and looks at me with those sad eyes which say to me, "Why aren't you helping me Momma!" Once the stitches were out and he was unswaddled, he calmed down.

Ethan before surgery 5/30/10

Ethan post surgery 6/8/10

Ethan after his stitches were taken out 6/10/10

As of today, we were given the ok to stop using the arm restraints. It is now ok for Ethan to put certain things in his mouth as long as the object can't hook his mouth and catch on the scar. He still has dissolvable stitches on the inside of his cheek, which are supposed to go away within 2 weeks of the surgery. He also has steri strips and dissolvable stitches where his ear tags were taken off. We will just wait until the steri trip falls off by themselves with now further action needed. As of today, it has been exactly one week. We were also given some silicone patches to put over the scar. The silicone is supposed to help the scar heal faster and look better in the long run. We are supposed to keep the scar covered at all times for several weeks unless he is being bathed or fluid gets under the patch.


Ethan's next appointment will be a follow up with his plastic surgeon and a check up with his craniofacial doctor and nutritionist on June 21st. I am hoping to get Ethan off of his overnight feeds soon. Then we will have all of July off with no scheduled appointments at Children's. He may restart working with his physical therapist again in July to help his oral mobility and scar treatment, but we will discuss this with both his surgeon and therapist as we get closer to July.

Ethan's appetite has certainly returned as well. He is eating his full feeds orally and still acting hungry, so he is doing very well in this area. I am rarely feeding him through his G-tube during the day, only using this method once for his middle of the night feeding, which we are still required to do.


-Dina