Taylor had a surprise visitor this moring during his PT session, an ENT (ear, nose and throat) doctor. This particular doctor was called in to visit Taylor last week after T was complainig of a sore throat, which nurses suspected might be thrush.
It was not. The general concensus was that Taylor’s throat is simply dry, and a spray for moisture did the trick right away.
The reason this doctor stopped back this morning, was to let us know he would be taking Taylor back to the hospital next week (or so) to repair his frontal sinus. After looking at Taylor’s various scans, xrays, etc., he very quickly determined that his frontal sinus had not been fully repaired during the first plastic surgery in Flagstaff, and it absolutely had to be done. The remaining fractures (located in the lower forehead) were potentially dangerous, as they created a pathway/evironment for meningitis, etc. He would be performing the surgery which will take three hours+ with a neurosurgeon at Barrow’s, so if any breaches in the sinus or lining of the brain are seen they will be repaired immediately, once and for all. The procedure will require a new opening of his coronal scar (from the first plastic surgery) that runs ear to ear across the top of his head.
This sinus procedure is unrelated to the cranial floor/orbit surgery planned by the oculoplastic surgeon team in a few weeks. The question was asked if they can all do their work at the same time with the same neurosurgeon/anesthesia, etc., and the ENT did not think so, as they are two entirely different arenas, and it would make for an extremely long surgery. It would likely be too much for one time.
It is a relief to know these surgeons are going the extra mile to ensure they have left no stone unturned.
The ENT also mentioned a few other items he would like to see further repaired for Taylor’s full recovery, including his jaw, teeth alignment and nose/cheek. “It will take some more surgery to get it right,” he explained. But it can be done. So it should be done.
Taylor was listening to the whole thing. And he agreed.
