Benefit - Volunteers Wanted - Save the Date!!

1st Surgery is Scheduled

Just wanted to let y’all know that Mason’s surgery has been set for Dec. 16th. He is expected to spend at least 7 days in the hospital. We will have 2 meetings with the surgeons, one in October and one in December, to go over the details of his surgery. Basically it will be opening the back of his head this time. His second surgery will be in April/May time (closer to when he is one) and then they will do the front of his head. More details to come as we get them.

Ouch!

I am 4 months old today! I weigh 11lbs 10oz and I am 24in long. I am perfectly healthy, so as a reward I got 2 shots! :(

An Update on Mason - now 3 1/2 months old!

It’s hard to believe that Mason is already 3 ½ months old. As of today, he weighs 11lbs, 7oz and he is 24in long. He has discovered that he has hands and likes to chew on his fingers. One of the pictures I have included show him with his hand in his mouth, looking like “Oops! I got caught!”

He is starting to use his legs to arch his back if he is lying on his back and he turns himself over onto his sides. He is almost got the idea of turning over from his back to his front, but he never quite gets all the way over. He has realized how to spit and blow bubbles and he has discovered how to gargle! This has made feedings rather amusing and quite messy at times! He is really starting to become interested in toys and things that make noise and have lots of colors. Thank you, Uncle Pete and Aunt Johnnie for the exersaucer! He loves spending time in it! (Another picture shows him in it!) His favorite toy is a little stuffed doggie! He will hug it to his face and chew on its ears and tail. He is such a happy boy! He smiles and talks (well he makes baby noises) all the time. He sleeps like a champ (all night long) and usually only gets fussy if he is really hungry or is fighting sleep (as most babies do!). We are so blessed! Mason is such a joy and wonderful addition to our family!

It has been quite a busy summer. We started off with multiple appointments to visit the many specialists that are working with Mason to ensure that he is meeting all the milestones he is supposed to. He sees a Geneticist, a Cardiologist, an ENT, an Ophthalmologist, a Reconstructive Surgeon, a Neurosurgeon, a Orthopedic Surgeon, and a Physical Therapist. Not to mention his regular Pediatrician. According to these specialists, Mason is doing very well for having Apert’s Syndrome. The Cranio-Facial team (the Reconstructive surgeon and Neurosurgeon) had a CT and a Spinal Tap done on Mason in June and July. The results showed that he does have very little room left in his head for is brain to grow and there is a little bit of pressure and fluid building in his head. However, they don’t feel that Mason is in any danger of suffering from any damage or problems that can arise if this pressure were higher. We have set a plan of action and they are going to perform the first surgery on the back of his head to open more room for his brain in December around Christmas break. They will do surgery on the front of his head to reconstruct his face and fix his cleft palette closer to when he turns one, sometime in April or May.

He has had 3 ear infections over the summer, as the ENT said would happen. Because of his cleft palette and nasal structure, fluid tends to drain into his ears and has no where else to drain and thus turns into infections. As a result, the ENT put tubes in his ears at the end of July to help him drain the fluid in his ears and prevent more ear infections. He came through that minor surgery very well. We will also be seeing the Orthopedic Surgeon in November to assess Mason’s hands and discuss when he will be doing the surgery to separate his fingers and straighten out his thumbs. They decided that he would not separate Mason’s toes, but they will straighten out his big toe to allow for shoes to fit better.

As for the rest of us we are doing well. Justin has been busier than ever with it being pool season! And the summer ended all too soon when band camp started at the beginning of August for me. School starts back for teachers next week and the kids go back on the 24th. Mason started “school” this past Monday. He is going to Emile Elementary Child Care Center. He is doing great in school and his teachers are wonderful. His main teacher is Faith. She is also our neighbor 3 doors down, and his other teacher is Sarah, who has been good friends with Justin’s parents for years. So we are thrilled to know that he is in great hands.

I think that covers all that is going on with our family at this time. Hope all is well with you and your families as well. We will continue to keep you all posted on Mason’s progress and anything else that is going on. (We will be holding a benefit dinner and silent auction sometime in November as well as having a garage sale in October to help offset the costs of Mason’s surgeries and doctor’s bills. More details to come!) Love to everyone!


Love,
Allison & Justin

Going Home!!

They said I can go home now. These people here have been so nice, but I'm ready to sleep in my own bed with my Mommy & Daddy!

Plus, I want to meet my big brother, JJ!

I'm ready - let's go home!

Mason is born!

We wanted to announce the arrival of our son, Mason Alexander Higginbotham on Sunday, April 26th. He arrived at 7:48 PM, weighing 6lb 15oz and 20 and a half inches long. Justin and I are very proud of our new baby boy!

We also need to share that there were some complications; however Mommy and baby are doing great! I was released from the hospital and am bouncing back quickly after a c-section. Mason is still in the NICU. He is a very special boy that will have some on-going developmental needs as he continues to thrive. I have attached a picture of the 1st time I got to hold him in my arms the night he was born on April 26th.



After a week of tests, x-rays, MRI’s, and other tests too numerous to mention – we know that all organs are healthy, and functioning properly and he has not been on any life support. He has been diagnosed with Apert Syndrome which is a craniofacial/limb disorder – which means some of his bones fused too soon – specifically those in his skull, hands and feet. Common as part of this, is a cleft palette, which Mason does have. Using a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the worst Apert’s case, Mason would be a 2! Which is awesome news!


But this precious little boy, because of the Apert’s will still have special needs requiring multiple surgeries to insure his continued growth and development, the 1st of which will probably be in just a few months. Some of these surgeries may have to be repeated as he grows.

The 1st hurdle, we are facing is due to his cleft palette, and finding the right way to feed him. They are on the 3rd type of bottle and over the last two days, he seems to be taking to it very well – they are replacing tube feedings with bottle feedings – going from 1 a day, to 2, and today we are up to 3. He has even gained back his initial weight loss (all babies lose at first) and has surpassed his birth weight – weighing in last night at 7 lbs, 2 ozs. If this progress continues at this rate, he will actually be discharged, possibly within the next week! The 2nd picture attached was just taken yesterday, where he was dressed for the 1st time in his own clothes. (thank goodness for cell phone cameras)

Mason is strong and is blessed with family and friends with unending love. An added plus is my educational background in Early Childhood Development and my work as a teacher and with children will be invaluable in Mason’s on-going development over the years. This little angel definitely picked the perfect Mom. J

Thank you all for waiting for the news. It has been a hectic week with long hours at the hospital. But Mason is here and we are truly blessed!

Sincerely,

Allison and Justin Higginbotham