Before and After

Preslie had Strabismus Surgery on her eyes last week. When she was just a baby, I began noticing her eyes didn't seem to track well and often seemed to turn in or out. As I began researching, I learned a great deal about complications and learning issues that can accompany this condition. She began seeing an eye doctor before she was 1 and we patched her eyes and she began wearing glasses at 13 mos of age.

This is Preslie in her 1st pair of glasses! Look at that round little face! Such a sweet girl! Never complained or tried to take her patch or glasses off! Such a trooper.

Over time, her vision has improved to normal (PTL) and yet her muscles never seemed to control her eyes properly. We found a doctor in Oklahoma City who specializes in pediatric eye issues and after several visits with him he strongly recommended surgery to adjust her eye muscles. We wrestled with this decision for  quite a long while. Eventually, we believed this was the best thing for Preslie and scheduled the surgery.

It had been a huge event to get to the day of surgery, but eventually it did happen. Yesterday we went for her 2nd recheck and the doctor said the surgery was a huge success. Cosmetically it is such a change but the real change is far more than appearance.

God created our bodies in such an amazing way. Her brain and her eyes will be learning to work together correctly now that her eye placement has changed. For the first few days she saw double and when her head was straight things looked slanted to her. That was so interesting to us. Her brain literally had to reset and because our bodies are such amazing creations - her eyes and her brain are already working well together to see things as they truly are in the world.

This is a before picture of our girl. As the picture shows.. left eye especially turned up and out.

This is Preslie 2 days after her surgery. What a tremendous change!

I showed our kids the before and after and they couldn't believe it. They commented that they  never even noticed her eyes not looking straight ahead. That was such a huge thing for me to hear because it was such a testimony to their love for Preslie. We look past 'flaws' and what others may see as imperfections in the people we love.

 

I'm grateful beyond words that her eyes are healed. We all grew in our faith as we walked this journey. God in His faithfulness was loving, patient, compassionate and sovereign!