The Joy of Being One!

Hi! I hope everyone is doing well. It has been a long, long time since I've sent out an email, so I figured it was time. Remember, if you are interested in receiving more frequent updates, I've been using the opening page of my website to pass on that information.

Well, I've hit a huge milestone in my CHARGE life... making it to my first birthday. I really enjoyed my day and LOVED my birthday cupcake. The icing was divine! I'm thinking of celebrating again with another cupcake on the day I was suppose to be born (October 1) since the doctors use that date to calculate everything under the sun. I just know this year is going to be much better than my last. I'm planning on cutting long term ICU stays out of my life from now on.

Now that I am bigger though, that means some long awaited surgeries for me. First, the great docs at Children's hospital will attempt to open my nasal passages again (coanal artresia) and will put those straw like nightmares (stents) in my nose for 6 weeks. When those are removed, hopefully I will be getting my cochlear implant (I've been medically cleared for this surgery, but private insurance has denied coverage so we are praying that some government aid comes through quickly and agrees to pick up the cost of the $80k procedure). If anyone is interested in hearing what the world sounds like through a CI (cochlear implant), check out the following link: http://www.utdallas.edu/~loizou/cimplants/cdemos.htm

Because I don't have a full cochlea, we are hoping to get an insertion depth of half (the 22 mm simulation). Keep in mind that these examples don't take into consideration how the brain interprets the information and once the implant is placed, a LOT of therapy has to be done to train the brain to listen. Our goal with the implant is to make me more aware of my environment and to help me develop to my fullest potential. Some kids with CHARGE end up being non-verbal and there really isn't any way to predict that.

Since we want to do the implant surgery at the same time the stents are removed to avoid an additional procedure/anesthesia, nothing can be scheduled until we have funding approved. If all goes as planned, after the implant has been placed and I've had a few months to recover, my airway reconstruction surgery will be attempted (granted my nose stays open this time. third times a charm, right?). This will be a two step process, but I'm hopeful my trach will be out next summer. I'm thinking positively :)

It was great talking to you! XOXOBen
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BenRusso.com is Updated

Hi!
The day you all have been waiting for is finally here. No, I'm not referring to the Olympics, nor is it the day you hit the lottery! It's BenRusso.com time. Yes, that's right. my website is finally updated. I hope you enjoy it. I think it looks great (much better than my old site, which was child's play compared to this) and luckily, I was able to work in lots of photos. I'm like Brangelina. you can never get too much of me. As they say in Torino, ciao!
Ben

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Hi Everyone!!!
Sorry it has taken me so long to write, I've just been VERY busy (Christmas shopping, New Years, etc.). As I'm sure most of you know, I am finally home. Yes, that's right, I'm home. I miss all my friends at the hospital, but I must say... my new digs are GREAT! I have my very own room and there is stuff to do all the time. It is truly exhausting. Swings, mobiles, toys - so much to do... so little time.
I'm starting to get on a schedule now too. Mommy keeps on trying to get me to take a nap, but I'd rather stay up all day and just sleep for 14 hours straight at night. I'm still on continuous feeds, but all my equipment (air compressor, suction machine, trach bag, etc.) can be brought downstairs during the day so I can play. I am getting weekly visits from OT and PT and those girls seem very nice -1 just wish they would stop pulling on my arms and legs... I like them where they are! The doctors must really miss me because they still want to see me every week. I can't say I blame them... I'm a joy to be around (except when I throw my little baby temper tantrums).
Daddy is going to update my website to reflect my new and IMPROVED lifestyle. I'll send out a message when it's done (Daddy isn't as good with computers as I am so it may take a while).
Thank you everyone for being so kind and thoughtful to my family. And I appreciate all the prayers and warm wishes... they must have worked!!! Talk to you later!Love Ben

Merry Christmas everyone! What a wonderful holiday we all had this year. Everyone was healthy, which was a change from last Christmas. We celebrated with both sets of families this year too... and it was so nice seeing everyone (even though some of the celebrations happened early in the month). Ben got SO MANY gifts, and I think we are going to have to add a wing to the house to put them in! Ben is a very deserving little boy, so we allowed a little spoiling.
Ben is now a little boy on the go. He is rolling around like a tumble weed. For the first time, he has realized he can move and get wherever he wants. And, he has gotten rather quick too. He does this log roll and just keeps on going until he hits something (time for the coffee table to go downstairs). We are working on getting him to roll in both directions. He has perfected his left side roll and has a little more trouble on the right. We are just thrilled!!! (Although it does make being hooked up to an IV pole for feeds rather tricky).
Hope this holiday finds everyone happy and healthy. Love the Russo family. PS - Be sure to check out some of the new pics in the gallery!

Home for the holidays!!

Home for the holidays!!
Yes, that's right - I'm home bound. I just found out that I'm going home on Friday (exactly four months after my birthday). Can you believe it? I'm so excited, I don't know what to do with myself. I will definitely miss all of my friends at the hospital, but I won't miss what they do to me (sorry nurses, no offense - I know it is your job). Mommy and daddy have been smiling from ear to ear since they found out, so they must be pretty excited too. All the prayers and warm wishes have helped! Thank you.

Love Ben
http://www.benrusso.com/

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G-Tube Surgery Went Well

Good morning-
Surgery went well - took a little longer than expected, but I'm recovering like a champ now.
Love Ben

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Thanksgiving

Hi!

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. I definitely did. I have a lot to be thankful for this year. My health, wonderful doctors and nurses, great friends and family members, turkey flavored milk... the list goes on and on. So thank you everyone for being so supportive to me and my family.

I, like everyone else is putting on a little holiday weight. In fact, I'm over 10 lbs now! I've tripled my weight in my first four months of live. The doctors think it's great, but I'm a bit concerned that I have more rolls than the local bakery. If only I could walk, I'd work out... but until then I guess I'll embrace my new husky physique.

Tomorrow is a big day for me. I have surgery to get a G-tube (for feedings), Nissen (to prevent reflux), PE tubes (to drain the fluid from my ears) and whatever else the doctors decide to do to me when I'm under. My mommy and daddy were able to have both ENT and General Surgery work together and get everything taken care of at once so I didn't have to get anesthesia twice. It took a while to schedule, but the wait is over and the big day is now here. They plan on wheeling me to the OR around 1:00 p.m. I think I'll be in there for about three hours. I'm sure everything will go well, but I'll keep you posted. Oh, and I posted some Thanksgiving pictures in the Photo Gallery. Be sure to check them out and remember, the camera adds 5 pounds.
Take care!

Love Ben.
http://www.benrusso.com/

Thank you very much for your support, however if at any time you wish to stop receiving my super cool newsletters, feel free to unsubscribe by clicking here.