The past 9 months

I've been terrible about updating this blog but am so happy to report Bryce has been doing great these past several months!  Following his surgery in December, Bryce was fitted for his STAR cranial remolding orthosis (helmet) and began wearing it on January 1st.   In February he had follow up appointments with his neurosurgeon, ophthalmologist, plastic surgeon, physical therapist, STAR cranial/helmet specialists, and the pediatrician. All of his visits went well--his neurological development was great, his eyes were in normal range, and his scar healed very nicely.  Dr. Rogers (plastic surgeon) was very pleased with how he looked (which is always good when a plastic surgeon likes his own work!) but did tell us Bryce would continue to change and look different in the months ahead.  We had appointments at Star Cranial every 3-4 weeks and those appointments were the furthest from home (Columbia, MD), took the longest (2-3 hours), and were hardest on Bryce. 

Around 9 months old (February) Bryce started crawling a lot, cruising a little bit, and getting busier as each day passed.  It was amazing to see how quickly he bounced back from surgery, and how happy he was through the whole thing!  He went to physical therapy only a few times in February and stopped going in March.  

The picture to the left was taken at his 9 month well check approximately 2 months after his surgery.  His scar was still red and would continue to look that way for a few more months.  However it was healing and looking better every day.  His hair also started growing a lot and before long was completely covering his scar. 

Head starts to look less swollen
10 months old (March)



Start to see bump on left side
11 months old (April)





May 2nd - last appt at Star Cranial - no more helmet!

May was a big month for Bryce! 

 He got his helmet off, first tooth, had a great check-up with Dr. Rogers, & celebrated his 1st birthday!  

Happy 1st Birthday Bryce!

Dr. Rogers told us the swelling would go down and his head shape would continue to change--and it did.  Once the swelling subsided we noticed a bump on the left (corrected) side of his head near his temple, which is a dissolvable plastic bracket Dr. Rogers put in his head to hold his forehead together.

Celebratory lunch after appointment with Dr. Rogers

May 16th was our last visit with Bryce's plastic surgeon, Dr. Rogers.  He was very happy with the way Bryce looked and told us that typically the bracket will dissolve and no longer be visible around December '14 -- maybe sooner.  He actually apologized and hated that it was so prominent, but of course we were just happy he  responded so well to the surgery and looks so great!  He told us we didn't have to come back for a year!  We were shocked and honestly I was a little hesitant at the 1-year statement.  We were seeing him every 6-10 weeks and the thought of not having to see him for so long was frightening to me.  Of course he reassured me that we can come in to see him at any time, but that Bryce looked great and he was more than happy with how well he was recovering.  We felt so lucky and proud of our little guy. Yay for Bryce!

On June 2nd we saw Bryce's new eye doctor, Dr. Bazemore, and she too said he was doing great.  Next appointment: 6-9 months!  Another huge sigh of relief!

On June 11th we saw his neurosurgeon, Dr. Myseros, and received pretty much the same report from him as well.  He asked us a bunch of questions about how Bryce was doing developmentally, he looked at Bryce's scar, forehead, measured his head circumference and told us to come back in 9 months.  If all goes well at that appointment we will only check in with him on a yearly basis.  

With all the appointments behind us it was time to celebrate and head to Long Island for the summer!  

Silly boy showing us his kissy face

Nearly impossible to get these two photographed together!
At the ocean, enjoying digging in the sand

End of June…in these two pictures you can really notice the bump on the side of his head

After catching up with all our family and friends in NY we were thrilled to announce Baby Detwiler #3!  Another little girl will be joining our family in mid-October! 

We got home from NY at the end of July and about a week later Bryce was walking.  He was taking steps, pushing toys, and cruising around for quite some time but I guess all he needed was to be home to really take off!

In September Bryce got his first haircut.  He went with Daddy to the barber shop and now he really looks like a big boy!  He's 16 months old, 9 months post-surgery, and this was the first time in a long time that we've seen his scar.  The hair will never grow on his scar but for months his hair was long enough that the scar was always covered up.  It's more noticeable on his right side than on the left for some reason.  He still looks handsome as ever and now so grown up and ready to be a big brother!  

And just like that no more bump on the left side :)

The bracket is no longer visible.  So much for having 

to wait until a year post-surgery! 

For families of a child with Cranio: I started this blog during a very difficult time in my life, and found comfort in reading what others had posted in various blogs online.  Starting this blog was not only therapeutic for me--it also allowed me to communicate updates to friends and family.  I hope that you find information and reassurance that others have gone through what you're going through, and that everything is going to be ok and your child too will heal!