Makinna is our 2
and 1/2 year old daughter. She was born with an ear
deformity known as Microtia and Atresia.
It effects her
left ear, and it is basically something that stopped her
ear growth while she was in the womb. She does not have an
ear
canal on the left side, or an eardrum. The outside ear never fully
formed either. She will undergo a series of surgeries
starting in November to first, open her canal and give her
hearing, and then to reconstruct her outside so that her
new canal can be protected and her ear can look normal. Microtia effects about 1 out of 10-20,000 live births and
is 2:1 in males. It is also most common in the right side,
so Makinna is unique in so many ways. When she was born we
had no idea what
Microtia and Atresia
was, but quickly
became part of a community of people who have the same
struggles as we are facing. Testing is still in process at
Harvard University to determine the cause of this defect,
but it is assumed that many are genetically connected.
Now we are preparing for a trip to California in
November for the first stage of reconstruction. We will need so many prayers for
this journey.
I have never been fond of flying, and we will have to be separated
from our two other children in the process. It is such a bitter sweet event. We are
so happy to give
Makinna
the
gift of hearing, but there are so many variables
that
make it difficult. We trust that God will continue to protect us as He always
has, and ask you for your prayers and support. We have such an incredible church
family, and because of that we know our family will make it fine.
Just a little information on our sweet girl... Makinna
is honestly one of the happiest, jolly and loving babies I have ever known.
She is my personal little sunshine, because she radiates light. She is so easy
going and wants to love everyone. She laughs like there isn't a problem in the
world. It's so easy to fall in love with this amazing little girl. She loves to
have her belly and back rubbed, and is so cute how she doesn't feel the need to
speak when she is ready for you to rub her legs or arms... instead she just shakes
whatever body part she wants you to scratch until you comply. :) She rewards us
with bountiful kisses and hugs. She sings Jesus loves me, but since she can't
speak the words she just mumbles whatever she can come up with to the tune. She
is delayed in her speech a bit, but she is working hard to pick words up along
the way. She is making so much progress. We have been truly blessed with such
wonderful kids all around.
Thank you to everyone that have been with us through
this and continues to be there for us, and those who are just joining this
endeavor. We love you all and you have no idea what your support has meant to
us in this incredible journey
with
Makinna.
Makinna's
Surgery Timeline
-
November
5, 2009: Leave for the California Ear Institute in Palo
Alto, California on Nov 5th
2009. Dr. Roberson, from the California Ear Institute will
perform Makinna's surgery.
-
November
9, 2009: Undergo Atresia repair surgery to open ear canal
and produce hearing, creating canal, and ear drum. Stay
in California for post-ops and recovery until November 18th.
-
February,
2010: Travel to LA for Microtia repair (outside) stage
one. Will stay 10-14 days.
This surgery will take place at Cedars Sinai and will be preformed by Dr. Lewin- Medpor specialist
-
May,
2010: Go back to LA for stage 2 microtia repair with
Dr. Lewin at Cedars Sinai for 10-14 days.
In Christian Love,
