Our first trip to Doernbecher Children's hospital

Sean Michael was born on a Wednesday and we made our first trip to Doernbecher's craniofacial clinic the following Monday. It was August 18th. We had three plus hours of meetings with: the Nurse Practitioner who coordinates the team approach , our plastic surgeon Dr. Kuang and Dr. Garfinkle the orthodontist who does the NAM. My milk had just come in a couple days before and I felt like crying about everything. Sean Michael was hungry about the same time they called us in for weighing and measuring. He started to cry. You know that kind of crying that is somehow linked up to your nervous system as a parent. I was sweating and near tears myself as I undressed him and placed him on the scale. His cord stump fell off when I removed his diaper and I said, "it is a good thing this is not my first baby or I'd really be upset." They gave me a baggie and I tucked it into the diaper bag.



Feeding Sean Michael:

We had been feeding Sean Micheal with a tube and syringe since he was born. They had shown us how to use the Haberman Feeder before and after he was born, but he had a bit of a tough time with it at home. It just seemed like eating should be enjoyable, not stressful, so we were still using the syringe and tube when we visited Doernbecher for the first time the following Monday. Concerned about making sure he gains enough weight, they urged us to officially make the switch to the Haberman. Maureen, our Nurse Practitioner, was very understanding and patient as we tried the Haberman again in her office.



Sean Michael's first tooth!

We found out that Sean Michael's little protruding premaxilla had a little nub on the end that was actually a tooth bud. Since it was not connected to his gums on top, it needed to be removed. I knew it was minor in comparison to everything that lies ahead so I figured it would be good practice. So, I whispered in his ear that I knew he could do it and that I'd be there for him when it was all done and fighting back tears, I handed my five day old baby over to two near strangers to do a medical procedure I hardly understood. You know, I've never been one to "fight back" tears.


They said it'd be 7-10 minutes, but at 16 minutes I did start to worry a little. Matt and I waited anxiously at the end of the hall and finally the surgeon emerged with Sean Michael all swaddled up in the gauzy summer blanket we'd brought. He gave me a quick teary glance as I cradled him before falling into an exhausted sleep. He had a few little dissolvable stitches on the end of his gums and his sleep was filled with a lot of deep sighs. Matt and I decided that probably so much of newborn life is uncomfortable and that likely he wouldn't notice the diffence between a sore feeling in his mouth and so many other intense sensations like sunlight and cold air. We felt like celebrating on the way home to Eugene. Like having made it through this first trip was a victory which I suppose it was.