Hey Ya'll,
Well, it's all over now, and what a relief!
Here are some pics and a few details. Am I precious, or what?

I am just waking up on the big day...it's about 6:05 now. I slept the whole way to Bham, an answer to alot of prayer. They are taking my blood pressure on my right leg and my pulse oxygen level on my left big toe. I will wear a pulse ox monitor the whole time after my surgery until I am discharged...very annoying to me. My IV was also in the same foot as where I had to wear the pulse ox monitor. See how anxious Mommy is that I might decide I need to eat. That paci is good stuff.

After all that monitoring, we waited about 10 minutes before my nice nurse, Frieda, called us back.
This is our pre-op room and nurse Frieda typing things about me in her computer. We stayed in this room until time.

Well, what do you think?  This is the first picture taken of me post-op, as soon as I got into Mommy's arms...ahhhh.

Taking alot of bibs was a good idea. I am very messy now, alot more than before.
Did I mention I also had tubes put in my ears?? They are a little messy themselves.

Time for some more morphine...I don't feel very good. What happened to me?
Dr. Grant says that over the next few months there will be even more improvement in my nose.

Hospital attire. Yellow gown and these yucky arm splints that keep me from bending my elbows.
While they may look cute with the bears, don't let that fool you. I do not like them, Sam I am.

Why is everyone smiling but me?? I think Mommy and Daddy are happy because we lucked out and got the corner room, which is lots bigger than the others. Also, it is about to be the end of a very stressful day.

It's Tuesday now.  Although I am high on morphine, I still like to read.
Daddy is a good book reader. Did you notice that I did not swell too badly?

Lookie what Dr. Grant brought me. A Gund teddy bear! Look closely, as he has stitches in his lip, just like me :-)))).

Aah, the comforts of home. My mobile is so cool. It plays Twinkle, Twinkle. By the way, we had just changed my diaper and we have to save them for the lucky nurses. I have a really wet one lying on the bed there. The joys of the hospital.

I am taking a moment to reflect on what has been going on. I am having to learn how to breathe without my cleft. My lip feels funny to me, as I run my tongue in and out trying to figure it out. I am getting ready to go home any time now...yea!!!

We're all packed up and ready to head out. I am off the morphine and on Tylenol with codeine. It is some good stuff.  It takes the pain away, but doesn't space me out, dude.

In the car, headed North to home, sweet home. I am holding on to Mommy's hand for dear life. I won't let her get away again.   Daddy, either, if I could just get to him. Somebody had to drive, I guess.
Hey, I can still blow bubbles, and I am way better at it now. Just call me Messy Marvin.

OK, that's simply all I can take. Signing off for now, until Hartselle (when I woke up).

One final word...Dr. Grant is my hero.....

Thanks to you all for your many prayers. We all felt them and they felt good. God took very good care of my parents and me, just like I knew He would. He also must have guided Dr. Grant, because my repair is nothing short of a miracle. Mommy and Daddy are still sad to see my face change, but they know I will appreciate it when I am older. They loved my double barrel kisses and will love my new ones, when I can muster one up : oooo.

xoxo,
Hart