Witnessing the gift of a new smile...

Susan and I watched Syril get a new smile today at the skilled and compassionate hands of Dr. Geoff Williams!  It was a 3 1/2 hour surgery to repair his incomplete bilateral cleft lip!  It was the first time I have watched a complete surgery!  After all these years of working with children with cleft lip and palate, I was mesmerized by the process!  For those of you who know me well (my family) you know I tend to be somewhat of a lightweight when it comes to "fainting" easily (family trait)...but this was no problem!  Susan and I hope to be able to watch a cleft palate surgery tomorrow before heading out Friday morning! 

Dr. William's...taking his time to give this little guy the best repair possible. If you read about Dr. Williams on the International Children's Surgical Foundation website (icsfoundation.org) you'll understand why this surgery took 3 1/2 hours!  Dr. Williams believes in the same quality of care that children in the US would have access to...so there is NO rushing through the process.  And the results show! 

Theresa...no fainting involved!

Susan- who had promised to hold Theresa up through the incision part of the surgery... but her support was not needed! Susan had previously observed a surgery (laryngectomy) so she was a pro...

We both took advantage sitting on the stools occasionally, but spent most of the time looking over Dr. William's shoulder to watch the entire surgery!