The Quinn Saga: Finally We are Heard!
If you have not read about Quinn’s story, please click through and read it all. It is important for all moms to know about this!
After a couple days of trying to see what our options were, I realized that we had an appointment with the GI doctor coming up. As I thought about what we needed to do, again and again I thought that I needed to ask the GI doctor if she had any ideas.
So we went into the appointment and we began to discuss his progress. We talked a little more about his weight and she told me that he was doing better, but that he wasn’t doing well enough. I told her about what had happened and about the research I had done. I told her that I was feeling strongly that this would help him. She sat and thought for a minute while finishing up her notes. She then told me that there was a maxio-facial surgeon that works in her office and helps with all the cleft palette. She offered to refer us to that dr who may or may not be able to help.
I was SO grateful!!! I felt like we still had an option. We still had a chance. I was like, “so your telling me there’s a chance???” (How many of you read that in a dumb and dumber voice??? Come on, be honest!) I went home told my mom, my husband, and everyone close to us. I was SO excited. We got an appointment for about 2 weeks later.
We got tot he appointment walked in and waited for the doctor to come in. While we waited I was going through scenarios in my head of what might happen. If he would come in and tell me I am crazy, or if he would say the last doctor was crazy? I had prepared myself to fight him and tell him about all the research I had done.
When the doctor came in, he was very kind. he sat and listened to my story and what we had been through. He then looked in Quinn’s mouth. He asked me what was happening with his nursing and we talked a bit about his issues he has had. He said “He definitely had an upper lip tie and that will be easy to fix.” I paused and looked at him, did he just say he would fix his upper lip tie??? I was so excited I forgot to listen to what he said next.
I asked him about the tongue and he said he just wasn’t sure if he needed it or not. He said it was something he would be willing to check while he was under for the upper lip. If, when he pulled on it, he noticed it being tight he would also fix the tongue.
WOOOOO HOOOOOOO!!!!! Finally someone that was willing to help us. Who believed me when I said that I knew this was the issue. Someone who trusted the mom and understood how this could effect the child’s ability to thrive.
His nurse came in next and gave us all the info about the surgery. She gave me a phone number that was straight to her if I had any questions or concerns I could call. I loved how personable and understanding they were. That was very important to me.
I can’t tell you how grateful I was to finally be heard. I had felt like we struggled for so long and had to fight so hard and to think of how much this would have prevented if we had just been heard before, or If the nurses were trained in what this was. I felt like I had missed the first 6 months of his life. He struggled with development, I struggled with feelings of guilt, unsurity, sore nipples and self-dout that I knew my child and was doing what he needed. If you know anyone that works with babies PLEASE share with them about this and the issues it causes for babies and moms.
To be continued: next is the surgery!
