By Lisa Ansay —
Hello to all our amazing friends and family. I apologize for the radio silence these days. I know many of you are awaiting updates as to Taylor’s progress in recovery. These days, we have been extremely busy with doctor follow-up appointments – one or two a day over the past few weeks.
In preparation for Taylor’s long-awaited facial reconstruction surgery, each of his medical teams must deem him medically stable and approved for surgery. There are several teams actively governing his medical care: endocrinology; neurology; infectious disease; ophthalmology; neuro-opthalmology; otolaryngology; neurosurgery; internal medicine; craniofacial plastics; orthodontic/oral maxillofacial plastics and cardiology.
All of them have to approve the surgery, and cardiology and infectiousdisease still have unanswered questions: 1) Why is heart rate variable and at times rapid (over the past 5weeks); 2) Why is low-grade temp present over the same period of time.
An MRI was conducted last weekend, and the results showed no infection in the brain – WOOHOO – and showed that previous surgeries have healed very well, and that they were successful in preventing recurring leaks from the fractured cranial floor. It all looks great.
To be clear, Taylor has undergone NO reconstruction of his facial structures aside from those necessary for cranial floor repair associated with his cerebral spinal fluid leaks over the past sixteen months.
The facial reconstruction will require removal of previously implanted stabilizing hardware, re-breaking the mandible (lower jaw) and frontal palate, and potentially the orbital sockets. The mid-face will be re-positioned for symmetry and function, which is a huge undertaking. Surgical teams first thought it will be donein one six hour (or more) surgery, but now they think they may do it in two phases, with full completion within one month’s time from initial phase.
As soon as cardiology can clear him for anesthesia, and infectious disease can be sure there is no real infection (it is possible the fevers are simply “neurogenic”with a non-infectious source) the reconstruction will be scheduled.
There will likely be news on this next week.
