This is me before my BIG surgery. The other ones were little but still hurt (I had my tonsils & adenoids out when I was just 19 months old, then a tear duct operation two times on my right eye before I was 3, then they had to go into my jaw and take out one of my grown up molars just to make room for this big operation!). I am 4 in this picture and we went to the boardwalk before my big day. Mommy & Daddy said they had to make my mouth bigger on the right side so they broke my jaw and for the next 6 months I had this "gray thing" sticking out to make it bigger. Mommy would turn it every day in the morning & the night and it was the worst pain ever. But I was a trooper - I didn't even take any tylenol and I got to eat italian ice every single day for a long time!
Tough to see - but worth sharing.
This is my "gray thing". That's what I called it. That's also my little ear in the picture - the one that didn't grow. I can hear on that side but the doctors wouldn't listen to Mommy until I proved them wrong around 3 years old. She and Daddy knew I could hear! Maybe not as good as my big ear on my other side, but I still hear you. So Mommy had to use a screwdriver thing to turn this gray thing two times a day and it hurt alot in my face while my jaw bone was growing big. The doctor says I need to keep it in there until almost Christmas so I might not make the Christmas party.
Look at me now! My face is even!
So this is me when my gray thing was all done. Now my bones have to set and stay strong before the doctor can go in and take it out. I had to go to school with it, trick or treating with it, and I learned how to position my head so it didn't hit my shoulder too much. Pretty soon it will come out and now its amazing that I can chew and eat normally since my teeth aren't crashing together!
Ouch.
Yeah well this one was tough. They took out my gray thing but they bruised my face really bad and this part hurt more than getting it put in I think. Mommy is worried about my smile because when the doctors took out my gray thing since my bone is ready, something happened and my smile isn't working on that side now. I hope it comes back.
My crooked smile.
See? My smile is still not working on my right side but that's okay because I told Mommy and Daddy that I feel pinchies over there and that means my nerves are coming back they said. Mommy says my smile should work all the way again soon and now the left side of my face will have to play catch up to the side the doctors fixed! Yay! Break time from more operations now for a while.
My Little Ear
This is my little ear. I love my little ear it is very special to me. My Mommy & Daddy explained that this is how God made me and I know other kids at the doctor that have little ears too. I have seen them when I go to the hospital for my check ups. None of my friends have little ears though. I do not know anyone else in my school or my hometown that has ever had a little ear before. Lots of people look at it. It doesn't bother me if someone asks me about it, it bothers me more when people stare and don't ask. I tell Mommy if kids laugh at me about it - mostly it's the older kids who say mean things or make nasty comments. Mommy & Daddy get upset and tell me to stand up for myself and tell them to mind their business but I tell them that they just don't know any better Mom. I've asked her if my little ear will grow into a big ear someday like my other one but she said no.
Look how real it looks!
This is a close up picture of my pretend ear. Mr. Barron painted it to match my skin while I sat really still in the chair and played my GameBoy. This is the first time I have had something done that didn't hurt! This ear is an exact match to my big ear! I can't believe it! And I even got to keep my little ear too because I don't want that to go away.
Can't tell which one is real or fake, can ya?
This is me when I was 5 years old and got my 'pretend' ear. Mommy & Daddy saw this man on television named Robert Barron and he makes prosthetic parts for kids like me and people who have been burned. So we took a very long trip down to see Mr. Barron who made me a matching ear out of rubber! I can put it on and take it off and even fool people with it. People who don't know me think that I have two ears but I really don't! Mommy got scared she said she didn't even know which one to take off because it looks so real! I don't like to wear it too much when it is hot because I sweat and I am worried it will fall off but it does help hold up my glasses better. Mommy & Daddy said it cost a lot of money and that insurance would not pay for it. I remember Mommy & Daddy sold things to get the money to get me my ear, and Mommy also did stuff to raise money like make candy and have special dinner for me too.