New Ear!!!

1 week post-op appt. :

It was our first time seeing B's new ear! The visit consisted of taking off his head dressings, taking off some stitches and the sponge from his "good ear", taking off the ear mold over his new ear, washing his hair, washing both ears, cleaning the new ear with antibiotic gel, covering the new ear with a certain cloth and seaweed water, covering it with mold, covering it with new dressings and lastly covering with his black cap. It was about an hour appointment. Brennan did great throughout the whole process. He wasn't too excited at first when he had to lay down on the table to get his head wet, but once the warm water hit his scalp he completely relaxed. For the rest of the appointment he just sat and watched "Cars" on the flat screen in the room as they cleaned his new ear.

I posted pictures to help explain the process...

Taking off his white cup and head dressings

The mold over his new ear that was under the white cup/head dressings

Washing his hair and ears

A view of his NEW EAR!!!

2 EARS!!!

Another front picture. The new ear is slightly bigger than his right one. At age 3-4, the ears are about 85% developed. The doctor made his new ear about 15% bigger so he can grow into it (since the medpor ear does not grow)

Close up pictures next... and let me explain. I have seen many pictures of ears after surgery and I thought his ear would be purple, swollen and puffy. I was preparing myself for what I was about to see; But I was so surprised at how well his ear looks, after only 1 week. Now of course as it heals it will look better and better, but doesn't it just look AMAZING!!!... I can't get over it, there is an ear there!

Also, the doctor said that because it is so pink it shows that the body is accepting the new ear and skin graft!

There is a white sponge in his ear canal that is protecting it (his new ear canal from his surgery in October)

That is his ear lobe that he had before. Everything else has been crafted by the surgeon using the medpor medical plastic, membrane and skin grafts.

I LOVE THIS PICTURE!!!

(he has stitches behind his right/"good" ear because the doctor took skin from behind that ear to use for a skin graft site on his new ear)

Wow, amazing! He's such a trooper going through this! He is my hero! With all that our family is going through right now, Brennan shows me true courage.

Dr. Lewin changing the ear canal sponge

Using antibiotic cream

Cloth and seaweed water to mold it in place

Molding it in place

A new white cup and dressings

Almost done!

Taking a ride on the toy plane before we leave the office!
(we will be back in a week for his 2 week post-op visit/ they will clean his hair and ears and change the dressings again)

Of course we had to celebrate how well Brennan did with some ice cream!!!

*****

Here are some before and after pictures to show how AMAZING these surgeries have been:

Before any surgeries

A new ear canal (and ear drum) from his surgery 4 months ago in October

And now!!!

We are so excited about his new ear and pray that it continues to heal properly!

A huge prayer request answered: Brennan's neck tightness is slowly loosening up and he is getting more range of motion! We are continuing the heating pad and neck exercises but it seems to be doing better daily!

Thank you for your prayers!!!