Night before 4 weeks

Sunday night pictures. All the spots and scabs fell off this weekend. Looking really good. ENT will take the rest of the packing out Wednesday and then we can get a hearing test.

3 Weeks and 3 days post op

Tuesday was a very emotional day for us. Robbies ear didnt look that great and Dr Reinisch wasnt liking a black spot and was thinking the skin may be dying. Robert also had white gunk covering his whole medpor ear and we were told to stop using the ointment that he may be allergic.
After two days using only vasoline on the ear I am pleased to say WOW, what a difference. I sent pictures to Dr Reinisch tonight and he also said the same WOW what a difference. The black spot seems to be decreasing so hopefully it wont be an issue. All the white gunk is also gone and the ear is starting to shrink down and take shape. Robbie likes to look at himself in the mirror alot and really likes his new ear. I am attaching many views to this post of the different views so you can see what a progress. I will also post a picture of the ear two days ago.(It is the bottom picture)

Post Op with ENT

Robert went to the local ENT on Wednesday to get the sponge in the canal out. I came home from work and Tom had givin him a well needed bath and washed his new ear and hair. The ear looked better and was getting back to the skin color rather then the red. His skin graphs for the most part looked really good with the exception of the deeper one on the left. It still looks raw and contnues to bleed with dressing changes. When we got in the room to see the ENT he had lots of questions and didnt like how swollen the ear was and decided he would be comfortable calling Dr. Roberson. We went back to the waiting room and were thinking the worst. We had already decided if this doctor cant do it we would pack up and just take Robbie back to Palo Alto to the CEI. When we were called back in the doctor came back with a different attitude and said he had spoken to Roberson and he was a really nice guy. He explained to us he has never seen the medpor ear and only the rib graph. He said Roberson told him the medpors swell more.
Robert sat still and allowed him to remove the sponge and the next layer with no problems. He did however ask the doctor what the tool he was using was. The sponge came out with no problems, (again thank you daddy for keeping up on the drops). He said the canal looked great and that Dr Roberson did a great job. We are done with our appointments for 2 weeks now until the next ENT when they take the rest of the packing out and can do the first hearing test.

Dr. Reinisch called that same night after I sent him the pictures of Robbie without the netting and cup. He said things look great and we can take everything off Monday and leave it off unless we dont feel comfortable. Stay tuned on that!!!
Tom and I were pretty stressed the whole time the dressings and cup were off and tried our best to get Robbie to sit. We left it off until about 9:30 that night.

Finally Home!!

We made it home tonight around 5pm and can say Home Sweet Home!!!! Now comes the fun part of keeping the little guy calm. I am posting the last of the LA post op pictures of Robbies ear and his skin graphs. His ear was really swollen from when he bumped it the other day. Dr. Reinisch was a little concerned and wanted to try and drain it. It drained some old dark blood and he felt better about it then. Robbie did great at the appointment. He didnt cry one bit and the joke was if it was the same kid. We will keep his head in the cup and netting until Wednesdays appointment with the ENT here in Klamath. We have decided to take everything off before we go then put it back on after a nice wash when we get home. I hope Tom and I can remember all the instructions on how to do it.

Today Robbies eyes are both swollen and the right one is pretty black and blue. It seems to always be a bit swollen in the mornings after he tosses and turns in the night. We went to Down Town Disney yesterday to eat at the Rain Forest Cafe and walk around. Took some pictures at the Lego store. He got to get some with R2 D2 or as he says E-2 E-2. We will be hopefully heading out tomorrow night after our last post op.

8 Days Post Op

We saw Dr. Reinisch today in LA. The nurse took off all the netting, the new ear cup and washed his hair. Robert wasnt really having any of it and cried. We then went to the kids waiting area and watched the movie Cars until Reinisch got in. Reinisch had to take out all the stiches holding the gauze on the skin graphs as I held Robert with all my might and 2 nurses helped. Its safe to say he was MAD. He made his new ear bleed by thrashing around and I held him as much as I could and tried hard to not lose it myself. Once everything was done Robbie was not happy about the blood on his birdie (WHITE BLANKET!) but he fell asleep as soon as we got to the car.
His ear is very swollen which is normal and I think it already has great color.I cant wait to see the progress as it heals. Its not much bigger then the other one for the 20% growth expected.

Dont ask why he has fingers in his mouth in every picture!!!

Here are some pics of Robbies weekend. He went and fed the ducks on Saturday and had a good time until one bit his finger. Then he had to feed them from the table. Sunday we went to an outlet mall and he got to watch momma and aunt Chrissy spend money. Also we went and saw the Queen Mary and a submarine.

Down to L.A.

Todays first post op was a bit hard. Robbie cried when the stitches and tubes came out. Dr. Roberson barely lifted the right bottom of the netting to take out the stitches holding the tubes while Tom held Robbie. I opted out from holding him because I wore a white coat. I know poor excuse... We were given the paper work that we give the local ENT when we get home and that was about it. When we left we decided to explore a bit and take our main strip road down the other way. We came across a Chuckee Cheeses and decided to stop and let Robbie play and have some lunch. The expensive pizza of course sucked but all the games were only .25 so it made up. Robert first choose a jet game that required him to sit on my lap. I should have known better when the game told me to put the seat belt on but it was to late and we were jerking around in every direction. It did amuse him so I guess it was ok. We stayed for about 2 hours to get through 50+ tokens and got as many tickets we could to get a measley 2 laughy taffys and a barbie sized deck of cards. It was clear when we left by a melt down that someone was tired so we headed back to Moffet so he could nap.

We will take off tomorrow around 9am hopefully. Our plans are to stop at the outlets in Gilroy. Its not hard to convence Tom since there is an Adidas outlet. We are however in desperate need of button up shirts. I had only found 2 in Klamath and no regular shirts are going over his head.

Robbie woke up a bit swollen in the right eye this morning. He seemed to have a rough night sleeping. He woke up at 6:30am and had chocolate milk and watched tv. We are off to the dr in a bit to get the drain tubes removed.

We are happy to welcome a new Eichelkraut. Little miss Samantha Kaitlyn. Congrats Paul and Susie!!!!

Its noon on day 1 post op. Robbie is doing great considering. He is complaining of it hurting and isnt moving around alot but thats ok because nurse mommy is here. He has had jello, oatmeal, noodles, pudding, juice, and chocolate milk since he woke. I guess its safe to say he has an appetite. We will stay indoors all day today and just relax except for Tom who needs to at least go on a toilet paper run. Apparently the hotel has run out LOL!

Done

He got out of surgery around 5:00pm. Dr`s Reinisch and Roberson came out and talked to us for a bit and Roberson had recorded the surgery and we got to see his new ear. It looked great!!!!! I can not express how happy Tom and I are with these two doctors. They really lived up to the expectations we had for them.

Robbie was a bit swollen in the face when we went back to see him and very very groggy. He held my hand and came through over time whispering a few things. Everyone said what a great little guy he was and that made us proud. When he was ready to go he let the nurse pull all the tape off and take the IV out with out even a word or reaction. On the way to the hotel he was a bit full of emotions and had a few complaints. When we arrived he wanted jello and and PB&J asap and let me take some pics to post.

He is now sleeping soundly with of course with his thumb resting in his mouth. (Roberson put extra packing in the middle ear so Robbie can suck his thumb)

Getting close now.

4:20pm
The nurse says they are very close to being done.

Its now 2:15 and we should be hopefully within the 2 hour mark. All has gone good so far according to both doctors. Roberts ct indicated he was a 8.5. When Dr Reinisch came out for a brief update he said it was more like a 9. Dr Roberson said everything looks good and its an A+ so far and we just have to wait and see how everything heals.
Tom and I are very anxious to see our little guy and you can say we are both getting pretty antsy.

They just took Robbie back at 7:30am. He didnt need any loopy medicine and just had a nurse carry him. Now we play the waiting game until someone comes out to update us. Dr. Reinisch said it will be about a hour before they start the actual surgery. They are getting him ready with markings and such first.

Weekend

Its Sunday night and we have to be at Waverly at 6:30am for Roberts surgery. We met with Doctors Roberson and Reinisch tonight at 5 and talked to the anesthesiologist on the phone later. Everyone was really nice and things seem to be in order. Saturday we took Robert to the San Francisco Zoo and today just a little shopping. I will try and post tomorrow if I get a chance at the hospital.