Karley’s Smile

Karley will be having her jaw distraction surgery June 11th.  This will be one of her biggest surgeries (#14 ) that she has needed to correct the cleft lip and palate birth defect she was born with.

The Doctors will be removing a one inch piece of her bottom jaw on both sides to pull the bottom jaw back and adding a 1/4 to 1/2 metal plate into the top jaw to push it forward. So she will finally be able to have teeth that come together like they are supposed to. Most people do not realize that it has been a struggle for her to eat properly for the last 18 years. While she has learned to cope, She will be so glad to be able to eat “normally.”

 Karley suffers from anxiety because of the way she eats and breathes due to the cleft conditions and the bullies who tease her about it.  After the jaw surgery she will be able to have the  surgery that will open up her nasal passages so that she can actually breathe through her nose. Many don’t realize that one side of her nasal passage is very small and that there is no opening on the other side of her nose at all due to previous surgeries and scar tissue. She doesn’t breathe out of her nose and can’t eat and breathe at the same time. She has trouble sleeping because of this and consequently is always tired.

 It will also help to improve her profile, which for a teenage girl who struggles with being teased and bullied, this is huge. She is so ready to get the jaw surgery over and done with so that she can have the nose reconstruction and be able to breathe. 

While the surgeon is hoping he can adjust the jaw the 14 mm in one surgery, there is the possibility that she will have to wear an outside halo on her head that will allow her to turn a key and force her jaw to move each day for a month or so. It will cause tension on the jaw and force it to re position. She will most likely have her jaw wired shut for 6-8 weeks and be on a liquid diet. 

 This will be a very tough surgery on her physically and a big burden for us. While we do have insurance, the doctors and cleft team that she has always seen in New Orleans are out of our network and we will still be left with 40% of the bill. We already know that the cost for just the surgeon is over $17,600. This does not include the hospital, anesthesiologists or any other expenses. 

First of all, we need your prayers. Secondly, If you could help us by making a donation, that would be greatly appreciated.  I have no doubt that God will provide exactly what we need to make this happen for Karley.  She is so ready to get the jaw surgery over and done with so that her jaws line up and she can eat things that she has trouble with now and also looking forward to when she can have the nose reconstruction and be able to breathe.