Screwed Up, Un-edited

I would like to tell you that if you're squeamish about things such as exposed metal screws sticking out the side of kids' heads, please close my blog now.




It's interesting, though, if you're up for it.




Although, I finally showed J a pic of it tonight for the first time (surgery was 1 week ago today) and he screamed.



But really, really, it's cool.




If you think not, move on to your next blog.



Don't say I didn't warn you.



I've given you plenty of time.




3...........







2................






1...............................







Booo!








I'm sorry the picture isn't more clear. Did I mention a really great camera is on a future Christmas list?

This particular screw will be the thing that holds his BAHA, which is a bone-anchored hearing aid. The part that looks shaved with the stitches surrounding it will never grow hair again. The doctor (whom we love) was smart enough to place the site over an old shunt scar, in a less-obtrusive place than is usually used, bless him.

When the bone has grown in all around the screw and it is stable (in three months), he will be fitted with a cool little electronic device that will transfer sounds from the deaf side (the side with the screw) through the bone to the side that hears. This will help his currently non-existent directional hearing and also give him more volume. We are very excited. In the post below is shown the sponge he was wearing from the time of surgery until 4 days later, when the doctor removed it, I almost fainted, and then learned how to take care of it. It looks better in this picture than it did then (ew).

Now each night I take some non-stick padded gauze and cut a hole in the middle of it, put some antibiotic ointment on and place it over the screw. Then I replace the white plastic snap-on cover. This holds the gauze in place and covers the actual screw. On Tuesday we'll see the doc again and he'll hopefully give us the okay to stop using the padding.

This was a big decision to make for J, because it is a very elective surgery. But after doing our own research, we felt it will help his quality of life. We're happy with the decision because the recovery has truly been a breeze, we've been blessed!

The company that makes the device and the implant is called Cochlear, the same company that does cochlear implants. They have promised that any future models of the snap-on device will always fit the same implant. We can have the implant removed if we choose to later, though we don't anticipate him wanting to do that.

Now I have a card that I carry in my planner that says something like "metal implant is not removeable, it's a medical device, etc." for any future run-ins with airport security! Let's just hope we all remember he can't bathe or swim with the ($3500) device snapped on.

And you thought he was high maintenance before.... ;-)