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Thursday, July 26, 2001
Sam Gets Ready for Salivary Gland Surgery
Sam’s Beloved Fan Club,
After over a year of dragging our feet and some research and doctor’s appointments, we have scheduled salivary gland surgery for Sam on August 15th. He will be admitted to Children’s Hospital the evening before. We are usually at Medical City Hospital in Dallas. So, this will be a switch for us. Dr. Michael Biavatti will be the surgeon and Drs. Silver and Mandujano will be his usual coverage of pulmonary functions.
The surgery will remove the submandibular glands (incision on each side under the jaw) and ligate (tie off) the parotid glands inside the cheek. He will still have glands under and in his tongue to maintain healthy teeth. However, if he still aspirates alot, we may later have the sublingual glands removed under his tongue (next year if needed).
The hope is that with less saliva to manage that Sam won’t aspirate as much and won’t have to be suctioned (nose and trach) and won’t have pneumonia!!!
The surgery is fairly quick. However, recovery can be very painful. Lots of swelling will occur, especially in his cheeks as the parotid glands fill with saliva that can’t go anywhere. It is usually a day surgery. But with Sam, they expect a 3-5 day stay.
Risks include the possiblity of damage to nerves that lay next to these glands that are responsible for facial muscle control. One of the nerves is responsible for holding up the bottom lip. We really really don’t want anything to interfere with Sam’s ability to use smiles and frowns as a way to communicate Yes and No.
Another risk is that since Sam has tested positive for MRSA in his secretions, we don’t want any infections in his cheeks - this would result in a staph infection that would be resistant to most antibiotics.
Please pray for:
- The Lord to guide the surgeon’s hands
- Good care from all staff at Children’s Hospital
- No nerve damage at all
- No infections
- Minimal swelling
- Easy recovery so Sam can go home quickly
- No other side effects (no negatives - only positives)
- Excellent results so that it will really make a huge difference in Sam’s health - no pneumonia
- Good and consistent home nursing care upon returning home.
- Peace for me and David as well as Tevah, Jacob and Simone as we go into and through this
Thank you for your love and support,
Kelly & David & Sam
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