Thursday, December 2, 2004

Thursday Post Script

Melanie is now the proud owner of a metal contraption installed behind her front teeth.  It is cemented to her molars and is spring loaded with hooks on the two teeth on either side of her cleft, pulling it apart.  So thank goodness I don't have to crank anything!  Of course the installation progress was not a walk in the park ... I was lying down on the chair almost standing on my head while she was lying on her back on top of me.  I had her legs pinned with one of my legs, and her hands pinned down by her sides.  The whole thing took less than five minutes, other than some scraping of glue off, and she bit the assistant!  Ouch.  The orthodontist scared me at first, when he came out and said, "We're not going to do her today" as he is leaving for a humanitarian trip to Jamaica tomorrow, and the surgeon is leaving for Jordan, also tomorrow.  He didn't like the fact that there wouldn't be anyone around in case of trouble.  I said, the heck with that, it takes me an hour to drive down here; why didn't you tell me this before I left home???  He went ahead and put it in, taking pity on me, I suppose.  (I said if I had any problems I would just come down to Jamaica to see him.  "Honey, I have to run down to the Carribbean, be right back!")  I left armed with the home phone number of his assistant in case of any mechanical malfunctions.  I don't foresee any. 

I popped her with some Tylenol as soon as we were done.  She ate a pretty good lunch of mashed potatoes and banana pudding, then took a loooong nap (almost 3 hours).  She's now running around the house singing, so I think all is well!  I picked up her TB medication and start that tomorrow.  Let's see, that will be finished in ... umm ... September?  Gee, speaking as a mom who has trouble getting 10 days' worth of antibiotics down a kid, this is a definite challenge! 

No comments: