Melissa Pope said... Hi Hill - thanks for creating this site. We'll be thinking of you and will check back often for updates!Best wishes -Melissa

Sarah Hoard said... Hi Hill, Wow, thank you for making this blog. Our thoughts and prayers will be with you this next month! It was great to learn about Metopic Cranio.. the stories of kids who have had the surgery are wonderful! I know as a mom you have to be strong for your kids and it seems that you are a perfect example of that. I just wish you peace and calmness through the next few weeks and we look forward to reading all about Keller's great recovery. The pic on the blog is adorable! Love, Sarah and Mike (Liam and Milo too!)

Brooke Miller said... One of the side effects of being pregnant for me, is the hormones, so I of course cried as soon as I read this. But how awesome! You both are doing an awesome job and I have no doubt that you are absolutely correct about this being a tiny blip in his life. See you soon!

Eric Walter said....I hadnt heard about this Hillary....you have Jana and I's best wishes...its so hard to have to go through anything stressful involving your new baby......I hope all is well

Haley said...Hey Hillary and Mark - The blog is a great idea...a some friends of ours have a little baby who has been in a hospital in Minnesota since June and have been using a blog to keep everyone updated here in Michigan. It seems like a great way to process what is happening in the hospital as well. Bill and I will be thinking of you all. -Haley

David Cinamon said...Thanks for this. This isn't quite the "cherished" part of infancy that a parent would want to experience, but all these memories add up to riches down the road. Best wishes to you guys. I'll stay tuned.

Jenn Weaver said...Thanks for the info. – we will definitely stay tuned to Keller’s blog. Our thoughts, prayers and best wishes are with you all for a successful surgery and speedy recovery for Keller. What is the date of the surgery so we can make a special point of channeling some positive energy his way that day? Take care and best wishes – we love you all!

Sarah Mosley said...Thanks for the update. I was just talking with my mom a couple of days ago and she thought Keller was having surgery sometime soon. I'll forward this email along to her too. I hope everything goes well with the surgery, and I appreciate you including us on the updates. Hopefully we can meet Keller sometime. Your postcard at Christmas was really cute!

Sean McCosh said...Hey Hillary! Thank you for sharing. I am in Minneapolis right now and had dinner with Meredith and Dan on Tuesday night. They told me the surgery was coming up, and shared a little bit more about Keller's condition. Kate and I will pray for a flawless surgery and a quick recovery. I like your blog idea. Keller will appreciate seeing this some day. Take care and let us know if we can do anything for you guys. Sean

METOPIC CRANIOSYNOSTOSIS

What is craniosynostosis? Craniosynostosis is the early fusion of one or more of the sutures (specialized joints between skull bones that enable expansion of the skull during normal brain growth) between the bony plates of the skull. When the sutures fuse too early, the skull cannot grow normally. How is craniosynostosis treated? Surgery to reshape the skull is the most common treatment. Only one incision is needed, which is made in a zigzag line from just above one ear to just above the other, within the child's hair. We have found that the scar blends in very well and is usually covered completely by the hair within months of the surgery. The neurosurgeon on the team removes the affected suture and the craniofacial plastic surgeon reshapes the skull bones into a more normal shape. The new shape is held together by plates and screws while the bone heals. The plates and screws are made of a special material that breaks down and dissolves completely in one or two years. After the operation, the child is cared for in the intensive care unit for one to three nights and then spends the rest of the stay on the ward. The usual stay in the hospital lasts three to five days. The surgery is typically performed before the baby is 1 year old, but sometimes doctors suggest just watching a child with mild craniosynostosis to see how the skull will grow. The treatment of simple craniosynostosis may require only one surgery before the baby is 1 year old.