Thursday the 6th of September Alivia will be having surgery at Texas Children’s on her Left ear again. We will keep everyone posted as to her progress.
Surgery Thursday
September 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Alivia has surgery scheduled for Friday May 27
May 24, 2011 By 7 Comments
We just wanted to let everyone know that our Angel is having surgery this Friday on her right ear. We know that she is going to have the same great results that she had on her left ear. Thank you for all your support and words of encouragement. We will keep everyone posted of the results.
Gods Work is Amazing!!!
September 14, 2010 By 8 Comments
Gods wonderful work! The doctor was pleased to inform us that the cholesteatoma was not located in the area most feared. With that being said the need for a canal wall down was not even in question. We have been so blessed . Alivia’s original anatomy of her Mastoid bone is still in tact and cholesteatoma free. Praise God! Doctor Vrabec was able to remove all of the existing cholesteatoma . He also found that one of the three bones that support your hearing located behind the ear drum ( the stapes bone) was completely decayed and had to be removed. He was able to build one from her cartilage and place it in its appropriate location. The ear drum was also rebuilt and lifted back into its proper position. This effectively should allow for Alivia to hear better. A ear tube (T2- 2 year tube) was also installed to allow any additional fluids to drain willingly. So, I would say that our prayers have been answered and ask for your continued prayers that the healing process will be as smooth as the surgery itself.
Dr. Vrabec let us know that the outcome would not be concrete for at least two months and could take up to six months. The right ear is next. The reaction of this ear will determine the approach on the right ear in the months to come.
As I have mentioned before this is a life journey. My prayer is that this ear will recover perfectly and the right ear will follow in the left ears footsteps. I also pray that the statistics of re-occurance (50%) due to the eustachian tube being non-functional as a result of the cleft lip and palate not be so. I pray that Alivia will never be told that the cholesteatoma in her left ear has returned. I pray for total healing!!
Dr’s …Dr’s….
August 23, 2010 By 2 Comments
Doctor appointment after Doctor appointment
Alivia and I have been to see some of the best Doctors in Texas over the past several months.
As some of you may know we have been interviewing Doctors for several months now. In April we had made a decision to use Dr. Oghali here in Houston for Alivia’s surgeries. He came highly recommended and overall we felt very happy with our decision. Although many Doctors expressed a sense of urgency for us to have the surgeries , Dr Ogahli suggested we wait until the summer time. This would allow Alivia several months to heal from the surgery. The pressure to find a doctor was finally over. Only to find out in June that he had accepted a position at Stanford in California. He has decided not to take Alivia’s case this summer after all.
Well I must say some things happen for a reason. Once again we have been looking for a Doctor, one that has much experience not only in the removal of cholesteatoma but also one that is familiar with removal in pediatrics,associated with cleft lip and palate, is able to perform surgery at a pediatric friendly hospital(anesthesia is so important) and irregular anatomy( Alivia’s bone behind her ear -is much smaller than the normal anatomy, this could cause for more difficulty when getting into the area where the cholesteatoma is located- near to the skull -base) this bone is called the mastoid.
I understand the benefits of research, and also how sometimes finding out more information can help parents help their children. As Alivia continues to grow and develop, I want to be able to provide her with the best resources available to make her journey easier and more prosperous. These visits have been just one more step in this on – going process.
Every Doctor has a different treatment plan, approach, opinion and over all bedside manner. So much to look beyond, read between and see past that my only option honestly was to turn it over to God. All the way, and I did.
As a result, once again we have been blessed. After meeting with several Doctors from Texas Children’s, Baylor, Methodist , MD Anderson, The Children’s Hospital Dallas, Tx , St. Lukes and numerous other private Doctors we have been given comfort in Dr. Vrabec and his ability to perform this surgery on Alivia. Dr Vrabec is withTexas Childrens Hospital and has been doing this type of surgery for years. We have scheduled Alivias surgery with him.
I have attached his profile below for you to review, he is amazing!
Praise God!!!
Dont Worry About Anything; Instead Pray About Everything…Philippians 4:6
Dr. Jeffrey T. Vrabec, MD
Associate professor of Otolaryngology, specializes in viral mediated diseases of the ear, inner ear and temporal bone imaging, vestibular dysfunction, tumors of the ear, laser applications in otology, and functional aspects of chronic ear surgery. A board-certified otolaryngologist, Dr. Vrabec earned his medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago, IL, followed by two residencies: one in surgery at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, PA, and another in otolaryngology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN. He completed fellowship training in neurotology at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.
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