In Need of Some Peace

[ashersjane@yahoo.com]

I recently found out that my baby boy will be born with a cleft lip at the very least. I am 24 weeks along and I am sure with the growth of our baby more information will come along. This has been very hard for the both of us and many prayers continue for the health of our baby.


My husband and I want to be prepared for anything.
We live in Arizona in the Phoenix area and are in need of surgeons to contact. If anyone has any information to give us, we would be so grateful. Like I said we just want to be very informed and very prepared, we love this little boy so much and want what is best for him.


Thanks.

[Susan Thomas]

I have written to your Yahoo address. Please let me know if you don't get the message. I can be contacted at thomas72@mindspring.com
Susan

[Anonymous]

Dear Peace,
My name is Richard Rosenblum and my partner Bill Magee and I have helped thousands of children with clefts from all over the country. We have an excellent craniofacial center and would love to answer questions to help you. Please feel free to email me your home phone number and I will give you a call. My email is rsrosenblum@hotmail.com. I look forward to speaking with you soon.
Richard Rosenblum
The Institute for Craniofacial and Plastic Surgery at CHKD Hospital
Norfolk, Virginia

[Judy]

You are so lucky to know before the birth. When our son was born 13 years ago, it was a major shock, made all the worse by not having a clue about what lay ahead. Prepare and educate yourself. Everything will be fixed in time. It is not a sentence to a horrible life. My son is a normal, healthy, smart kid. He had his lip repair at 10 weeks, palate repair and lip revision at 22 mo., speech therapy for 2 years, and now has braces <as do 50% of all the other kids his age!> His articulation is perfect, and his scar is barely noticable. He will have one more surgery next year to refine the shape of his nose, and then he will be done. But take note of the time frame..between 22 mo, and his next surgery at 14, he was just living his life like any other kid. That is the goal - normal life. Good luck!