Significant Headache

This isn't a very appealing photo, but we thought it would be good to document the prosthetic ear process.

A total of FOUR posts were implanted into her skull on the right side; only 3 on the left.  The top post, which was done through a completely different process, is to hold her right-side BAHA (Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid), so she'll have bilateral hearing.  (She already has a BAHA on the right side.)  This post is capped with a plastic cover, and will take 3 months to heal before a hearing aid can be hung on it.

THREE posts were implanted on each side of her head to hang her prosthetic ears upon.  These were surgically implanted into the bone, and then covered with her own skin, where they will heal in a protected environment for less chance of infection.  These will heal in only 6 weeks, at which time they will cut holes through the skin to allow the posts to protrude.  They will then attach screw-like ends to them, which will then hold the "snap-on" ears on.

The other incision was to remove her misplaced ear "nubs" that she was born with.

KT is hurting pretty badly still, 5 days after the surgery.  We thought this would be not quite so significant a surgery, but I guess you can't expect 7 new holes in your head to NOT cause a headache!  We're hoping the pain starts subsiding soon.  She received a blessing from our Bishop this afternoon.  Please pray for her!

- Glenn

P.S.  KT has started her own blog to express what it's like to live with TCS (Treacher Collins Syndrome).  http://strollimysoles.blogspot.com/