Lucy’s Story
During her pregnancy, Lucy found support by reading stories from other parents. Today she wanted to share her story to help others on their journey.
Stanley was born with a complete unilateral cleft lip, cleft palate, and alveolar gum notch. We discovered his diagnosis at my 20-week scan, which I attended alone due to covid restrictions.
Heartbroken is the only word to describe being told something is wrong with your baby. I had to be let out of the fire exit, so I didn’t have to walk back through the waiting room.
I sat in my car crying and rang my husband, parents, and sister. We spent the next few weeks at fetal medicine appointments with further tests again, all attended alone due to covid restrictions, with my husband sitting outside the hospital waiting!
There were many sleepless nights of worry, and the remainder of the pregnancy was filled with anxiety. CLAPA provided us with much-needed information about what was to come, and reading others’ stories helped me a lot, which is why I’m now sharing my story in the hope that it can reassure others.
Stanley was born on 16.09.20, and he was my perfect baby boy. He had his first surgery at nine months old (delayed due to covid. It’s usually around three months old). This surgery was five hours long for his lip and nose reconstruction. The longest time of our lives!
And the following days are days I wish not to remember, but the outcome was amazing, and many people now say they would never have known!
Stanley then had his second surgery at 12 months old to repair his palate. This surgery was three hours long, and he recovered from this amazingly! After the surgeries, he has gone from strength to strength; he doesn’t stop eating now and loves to sing and dance!
Stanley then had his second surgery at 12 months old to repair his palate. This surgery was three hours long, and he recovered from this amazingly! After the surgeries, he has gone from strength to strength; he doesn’t stop eating now and loves to sing and dance!
Stanley also has moderate conductive hearing loss, which is quite common in babies born with a cleft, and he has hearing aids, although he doesn’t like them very much, so he is on the waiting list for an operation.
He has regular speech therapy sessions, which will continue through school if needed, and he will have another operation when he’s around nine years old to repair his gum with a bone graft. All in all, he’s a fantastic cheeky little boy, and we are desperately proud of him!
Thank you, Lucy, for sharing your story!
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