Driver License

Katie had to renew her driving learner’s permit yesterday, so she got a new picture. The contrast between her last one (a year ago) and this was pretty striking, so I scanned the permit pictures together and have attached them. The old one is quite scratched, but I think you can see the difference pretty easily.

We’ve been pretty discouraged about not keeping the airway we thought we had gained through the summer’s surgeries, and because no progress on getting the teeth to meet was made. In fact, the surgeries messed up her front teeth alignment, and it will take some time to get those back in order. But, as you can see, the shape and fullness of Katie’s face was significantly altered through the surgeries, so we can be thankful for the progress that was made.

Notice the shape of her chin, fullness around the ears, and the cheekbones. She looks great! We’re hoping she can learn to keep her mouth closed because she has such a beautiful smile! BTW, they take the photos now without glasses on because of the new facial recognition software in service.

Just wanted to update you. She is still having some facial pain from the most recent infection, but the swelling and redness is well gone, and we’re hoping the pain is related to the regeneration of nerve tone that was lost during the last surgery.

Thanks for your continued faith and prayers in her behalf.

- Glenn

Here are pictures from yesterday and today to show that the redness has decreased substantially, but the swelling is still there. She's feeling much better, and went to school today. We saw here ENT Dr. Marsden, and Dr. Gordon from Cincinatti also called today. They both say the antibiotics should do the trick, and that she needs to use the Peridex multiple times per day to keep mouth bacteria from backing up through the tract inside her mouth that leads to the new cheek bone material. Anyway, thanks for your prayers, and don't let up yet!

Doing Much Better!

8 Feb 2012

Dear Family,

                I wanted to share how Katie is doing.  An antibiotic was prescribed by Dr. Gordon yesterday.  Glenn tells me that Katie is doing much better this morning.  Her face was bright red yesterday and swollen, today her face is not red, still swollen, but not red.  I asked Glenn to get an ENT appointment with Dr. Marsden in St. George today.  So at 10am Katie saw the ENT doctor, who thought her infection looked like a cellulites infection.  He discovered that Katie has drainage from the back right side of her face into her mouth.  It is one of the places Dr. Gordon entered from the mouth to put bone in her cheek.  Katie says the drainage tastes horrible, but the nasty drainage has moved her to be more regular and particular about cleaning her mouth properly.  This is a monumentous blessing.  I don’t think this kind of motivation would have come any other way! 

                Katie’s continues to have facial nerve pain and her smile has a slight turn up on the right side as well as her brow will arch just a little.  So I was not entirely wrong to believe her nerves were healing and regenerating.  YIPPEE!!!!!!!!  I am wildly excited about this.  The ENT doctor says that it may take as much as a year for the nerves to return to normal.  So she IS going to have her smile back.  I love it!!!!

                It’s time for me to take Mother to see Vada.  So I better go, but I had to tell you the good news.  Thank you for your Love, Faith and Prayers in Christ in Katie’s behalf.  I sooooo appreciate it.  Love Pam

Petition

7 Feb 2012

Dear Family,

                I arrived safely in Logan last night, however this morning I got a call from Glenn, Katie’s face has infection in the right side.  I am just sick about it.  I actually thought the nerve sensations she was experiencing were about the nerve healing.  I feel a bit foolish, but I still have faith that the Lord will bless her with that eventually.  Glenn is awaiting doctor Gordon’s phone call to prescribe antibiotics.  I feel she needs to see the ENT there in St. George.  I don’t know how this will affect my stay here in Logan, I may have to cut it short?  I will see how things progress. 

                I’m asking for your faith and prayers for Katie.  These kinds of infections can result in terrible scarring and a need to go into her face and scrape out all of the bone that was put in there.  Please petition the Lord that Katie will not have to undergo anymore.  Love Pam