Hi, new here. Anyone use UNC Chapel Hill's Dr. Van Aalst?

[SherriVnNC]

My daughter, Ava was born in October with an incomplete unilateral cleft lip (right side). We were surprised because ultrasound pictures seemed to show cleft palate and complete cleft. Naturally we were elated to find out she only had a minor cleft lip w/ no palate problems.

Her lip and nose surgery is scheduled in January. I'm just curious what we can expect after surgery using Dr. Van Aalst. We live 2 hours away in Charlotte, NC, so we anticipate staying overnight at the hospital after her surgery.

I'm a little nervous about her nose. The side where the cleft is didn't seem to affect that side of her nose, but it's my understanding they correct the cleft side. I briefly mentioned that it's her left nostril that isn't "right", but he didn't engage me in conversation about it. I will again stress that her left side is the side that should be corrected when we see him prior to her surgery.

Any insight or tips would be much appreciated! Thanks!
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[Z-Pup]

Hi Sherri,

Zachary Owen, was born 9/21/06 with a incomplete unilateral cleft lip and palate. His lip/nose repair will be Jan. 8th. (When's yours?) We are in Fayetteville, NC and are also going to UNC to Dr. John. I can't give you any insight about how the surgery will go. I have nothing but good things to say about John, and his assistant Kim Ulbrich! She is wonderful!

I hope everything goes okay with your little one in Jan. Who know we may see you there.

[SherriVnNC]

Hi, Tia, thanks for responding! My daughter's surgery is actually January 10! Do you know if your son will have to have the restraints and that lip/nose brace? I'm sure Dr. Van Aast will answer all of these questions the day before her surgery at our preop appointment, but I'm a little anxious to know now! Are you traveling the day of his surgery or will you go over a few days before to settle in? We are going to go up to Chapel Hill the day before and hope to be able to go home the day after her surgery.

I'm getting nervous just because I don't know what to expect. I have been reading posts by a lot of people saying to take lots of pictures now, so that's what I spend most of my day doing!

Do you give your son a binky? Are you using the pigeon bottle? When Ava was born, a speech pathologist checked her and said she was fine to use a "normal" bottle. We have tried every bottle under the sun and she will only feed from the pigeon. I think that may be the reason she can't, or rather, has trouble taking a pacifier. She definitely likes to suck for comfort and we're at our wits end trying to find something that works!

Well, good luck with your son's surgery! I would love to hear how it goes, so please email me or update this post with info when you get a free moment!

[Z-Pup]

Hey Sherri,

Sorry haven't posted back before now, but with the holidays it's been hectic!! I'm so glad they are over with!

Zach won't take a paci either, he has found his hands and they are now his soothers! He also uses the Pigeon bottle and has since birth, haven't even tried to give him a regular bottle because of his cleft lip he won't be able to get the suction he needs because the air would go in thru his cleft. It would be like you trying to use a straw that has a hole in it.

He is over 14 lbs. now so he has had no problem whatsover with using the Pigeon bottle! Lil piggie!

Yes he will have to be in the arm restraints. We still don't know exactly what time the surgery will be, they do the scheduling for Monday's surgeries on Friday, and it goes from youngest to the oldest. So we will know Friday aft. what time our surgery is, goodness it's getting so close. We are planning on going up Sunday aft., having surgery on Monday, staying the night in the hospital and coming home on Tues. Although Dr. John told us that if he was eating after surgery we could take him home that day, I think we will be staying so that someone else besides me can deliver narcotics to him! We will then have to go back to Chapel Hill the next Tuesday, the 16th, and he will remove the tape (He said there wouldn't be any stitches) and nose stints. He will have to wear the restraints until then, it's going to be a long long week!

OH you prob. won't find this out until your pre op appointment, we had ours on the 14th of Dec. She won't be able to have any milk/formula after 12pm on the day of the surgery, but will be allowed to have Pedilite. I went and bought some the day after the pre op so that I can start giving him some so that he gets used to it and to make sure he likes it. He likes the grape!! I'm going to start this week to give him some Pedilite a few nights after 12pm he usually wakes up about 3 or 4 to eat, so I'll give him that to get him used to that as well. But I will def. be filling him up the night before surgery all the way up til 12.

Hope all this helps.

[tkebino]

Hi Sherri I live in Charlotte as well and we use Dr. Matthews.

He is one of the best in the nation. I don;t know if you have ever heard of him. He was great with EJ and I know one other lady on this site here in Charlotte and used Dr. Matthews also.

PM me if you have any questions.

[SherriVnNC]

Tia, I replied in your post today, but in case you read this one, thanks again for your insight and the tip about pedialyte. Zachary will be just fine. I definitely trust in Dr. VanAalst and know he will do an amazing job. Good luck!

tkebino,
Hi, thanks for replying. We actually did meet with Dr. Matthews, but just didn't feel he was the right fit for us. I've heard TONS of great things about him and his work all around the world. I'm glad your son, EJ's surgery turned out well.

We were actually told our daughter would have a complete unilateral cleft as well as palate, so we were expecting the worst. We felt we needed a complete cleft team, so did some research and decided on UNC Chapel Hill's Dr. Van Aalst. When Ava was born in October, we were all shocked to learn she only had a slight incomplete cleft lip. Her surgery is actually this Wednesday.

[Z-Pup]

Sherri

*HUGS* thanks so much for all the thoughts and prayers....I however am a NERVOUS WRECK right now LOL but I'll be okay...he of course has no ide and is just playing around like usual

I'll see ya'll Tuesday!!

[06SIXLITER]

we are seeing that dr. for our 2 month old..

[christyb]

My daughter Madison had her surgery done by DR Van aalst November 2005 and he did a wonderful job and his whole team was wonderful.!!!