One Week Post Microtia Repair

A day or two after the surgery, Ben's right eye was very swollen - so we went into Dr. Lewin's office - and they said that was typical and that the swelling would get a little worse first and then better.  Indeed, within a few days the swelling in his eye was gone.

In addition, at first, it was very difficult for Ben to sit up and go to the bathroom because his abdomen hurts from the skin graft taken from that area.  After just a few days, he's able to walk upright and within two weeks, he can wear normal pants (and it doesn't hurt his scar on his abdomen.

July 27, 2011.  It was amazing seeing Ben's ear (above) for the first time.  Dr. Lewin's office and lovely Francesca Jahns provides a wonderful shampooing (regular baby wash) to help wash the hair where there is still a lot of healing going on.  The shampooing also reduces the itchiness from the graft site healing.  They also clean (with regular liquid soap) and re-dress the ear.  Dr. Lewin and Francesca provide the much needed "touch."  Not much you have to worry about!

Above is a picture of Francesca cleaning off some of the dead skin on his new ear.  It has stitches and is somewhat swollen but looks pretty amazing for one week out. 

Also, due to the swelling the ear sticks out.  Dr. Lewin says that it is impossible to make the ear stick out too much because it always becomes closer toward the head when the swelling goes down.  Just to set expectations, she says that the ear won't be healed until about four months.  Ben won't be able to get his ear wet at all (sponge baths) for one month.  He won't be able to swim for two months.

They put a certain ointment/substance on his ear to prevent fungal growth in this early summer weather (see above).

During this visit, Dr. Lewin says that she sees a first...I cut Ben's long hair while we're there and before they put the bandages back on his ear.  That way, his hair won't be in the way when they try to put on and remove the sticky bandages.  Then, Dr. Lewin re-dresses his ear and puts back on his ear cup and red cap (and shares a red vine with Ben).

Microtia Repair - July 18, 2011

Ever since the canalplasty, we had scheduled the microtia repair with Dr. Lewin to be in early summer so that Ben would have as much time as possible during the summer to heal.  School ended at the end of June, and then I took the kids to NYC to see the Statue of Liberty, Lion King and meet up with lots of great friends.

July 18, 2011.  We arrived at 6:30 AM at 310 N. San Vincente Blvd, the Cedars Sinai Surgery Center which is in the Outpatient Services Building north of the Cedar Sinai hospital high rises.  There is plenty of parking in a big parking lot in front of the building.

We waited for what seemed like a long time, especially since Ben hadn't eaten or drunk anything since the night before.  When we went upstairs and then to the pre-surgery room.  Dr. Lewin greeted us in her scrubs, and introduced us to the anesthesiologist, Dr. Karen Butterworth (see photo below with Dr. Lewin).  When we were showing this picture of Dr. Lewin and Dr. Butterworth to our youngest son (four years old), he said, "Wait.  The doctors are girls?"  Clearly, we need to work harder on breaking down their mental barriers on gender-appropriate professions... There were also several great nurses as well as the assisting male nurse who was terrific and called us frequently during the surgery which lasted until around 5:30 PM! 

As was the case with the canalplasty, at least one of us had to be on the premises the whole time.  I took a trip home during the surgery.  When we finally got to see Ben, we were so relieved.  He did really well, and though his ear was completely covered up and would remain that way for a week, Dr. Lewin showed us pictures from the surgery that she had taken.  (She thinks of everything!)  He did not have to have tubes for drainage.

Our beautiful son was asleep for a while, and when he woke up, it was much less traumatic than it had been with the canalplasty.  He did immediately ask if we had gotten him the Kevin Levin Ben 10 action cruiser that he had requested and seemed pretty pleased with the Ben 10 Mack 10 car we got him instead.  I thought the stuffed bear that had a head bandage and was labeled "Ben" was a really nice touch.  We went home and had a welcoming home "party" with mac and cheese.

Doctor's Orders:

• No getting the inner ear wet
• If in pain, take prescription Codeine - but it tastes so bad the kids would rather be in pain
• Don't sleep on the Medpor side
• Use shirts that button in the front
• Keep the ear cup on for the first couple of weeks.  Thereafter, the ear cup is only needed at night.
• After the first couple of weeks, try to clean the ear and encourage the stitches and dried blood to go away