Sara's Primary Surgery

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=95 BGCOLOR="#003399" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="048005f0erkjxk.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Kentucky Spellmans</B></FONT><B>     </B><B>|     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Kentucky Spellmans"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id79.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Birth to Three Months"><U>Birth to Three Months</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id82.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Three to Nine Months"><U>Three to Nine Months</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id84.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sara 9 to 12 Months"><U>Sara 9 to 12 Months</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id96.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sara 1218 Months"><U>Sara 12-18 Months</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id80.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Saras Birth Injury"><U>Sara's Birth Injury</U></A>   |   <B>Sara's Primary Surgery</B>   |   <A HREF="id93.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Saras Second Surgery"><U>Sara's Second Surgery</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id97.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sara 18 to 24 Months"><U>Sara 18 to 24 Months</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=385 BGCOLOR="#003399" TEXT="#080000"> <div> Sara's Primary Surgery</div> <div> <IMG SRC="4d8e7290.jpg" border=0 width="231" height="297" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="4ddc02b0.jpg" border=0 width="448" height="299" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Sara visited NASA the weekend before surgery!</div> <bR> <div> Sara was evaluated in the Brachial Plexus Injury Clinic in Houston on March 17th, 2003.  They did recommend surgery as her best option and it was performed the next day.  Sara was one week shy of being six months old and had 5 1/2 hours of major surgery.  The surgeons were outstanding!  Dr. Laurent came out in the middle of surgery to show us a picture/diagram which explained exactly what the injury involved.  Then Dr. Shenaq came to us to explain about the nerve grafting that they were going to perform.  </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="4dbba500.jpg" border=0 width="442" height="336" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> This is the actual image that Dr. Laurent and Dr. Shenaq showed us during surgery to explain the injury and plan for repair.</div> <bR> <div> As we now know, Sara has a very severe injury involving C5, C6, C7, C8 and T1.   During her primary surgery she had nerves taken from both of her legs for the multiple nerve grafts that were required to repair her injury.  She was in the hospital two days following her surgery so that she could recover and so that we could learn to take care of her surgical incisions.  Sara was a little fussy the night of her surgery but after that she slowly returned to her intoxicatingly happy, smiling self.  </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="4df08b00.jpg" border=0 width="264" height="176" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="4e1b6110.jpg" border=0 width="182" height="273" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="4e31abc0.jpg" border=0 width="282" height="188" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> These are Sara in the first couple days following surgery.  Notice dressing on neck, binder to keep arm at side, and dressings on both legs.  Her face was very swollen the first day, but that resolved during the next few days.</div> <bR> <div> So now we're at a point where she's recovering from her primary surgery.  She must wear the immobilizer for four weeks.  We've already been told that she'll likely require at least two more surgeries.  </div> <bR> <div> Through all of this one thing hasn't changed.  Everywhere that we take Sara people are drawn to her.  She has an amazing personality and spirt for someone so small.  She smiles and people just can't resist her.  Julie and I thought that as parents it would be our job to teach life's lessons to our children.  So far Sara has taught us more about happiness and dealing with adversity than we'll ever be able to teach her.</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>