tuesday 5/21/2013

good day for sweet Ava. Vicky Van Sickle is here until tomorrow watching the other 3 kiddos so i got to hold and talk to Ava for 4-5 hours today total. i was here when the surgeons did their rounds which never happens.  yesterday the surgeons said that before the dilation they were only able to fit a guide wire through her anastomosis (surgical site) in the esophagus. now she has a 5 French feeding tube in which is a step up from the 4 French PiCC line that was being modified to be a feeding tube. the opening is still so tiny that swallowing her own secretions is not possible, so she is stuck with the replogle (sucking tube that gags her) in the back of her throat. i anticipate that she will have another.4 weeks with it before she will be allowed to eat. she will have at least 3-4 dilations on a weekly basis before eating or swallowing spit may be possible. swallowing her own spit is the most important because that is what is blocking off the airway. the genitourinary scope went well also. girls with Cloaca can be born with 2 vaginas and 2 uteruses etc.. but, she is lucky to only have one and most things seem to be connected well as far as cloaca goes. dr. says she has a good prognosis for reconstructive surgery later....after we get past heart surgery. she is such an alert little girl when she is awake I just love it.