more details following surgery #1, prepping for #2

Dr. Freedman ( Mila's Surgeon @ Duke Eye Center) says that the surgery went as well as any she has done in her career and the outcome is as positive as possibly could be expected. Mila had no cardiac or pulmonary issues even with the general anesthesia and she responded quickly after surgery was over. She recovered for 23 hours in the hospital with Priscilla and Travis by her side. She has since come home and is doing very well. Everyone was surprised at how good her eye looked after surgery. She had to wear an eye patch for 3 days after surgery and has a series of eye drops throughout the day for the coming weeks to keep her eye dilated, clean and lubricated.

The second surgery, to remove the cataract from her right eye, is scheduled for this Wednesday morning (the 10th). Both Travis and Priscilla will be with her for the entire process. They will wait for her during surgery in the Duke Eye Center Waiting rooms on the 3rd floor and then be transferred over to the pediatric ward for the night.

Mila has already been fitted for her glasses (she will be so cute!) and she should come home with them. The glasses are very thick (15mm) and will help her to focus the light and begin to learn to see as the rest of us do. However, due to the removal of her lenses she will never be able to change her point of focus. That is the function that our natural lens serves and without them she will need some combination of glasses, contact lenses, and possibly an inter-ocular lens in the future once her eyes have grown to their full size.

Travis and Priscilla appreciate all of the kindness that all of their friends, family and the rest of the community have shown and ask for your continued thoughts and prayers.

Here is a picture of Mila after the first surgery: