As The Bubble Grows
Written by: Bonnie
Status update: The bubbles are in and growing.
For anyone who is unfamiliar with our saga of Ella’s bubbles, I thought I’d spout a little history for you…
Ella was born with a giant nevus (large hairy mole) on her scalp which carries a significantly higher risk of melanoma than an average person would carry. Ella’s nevus covered the front left quarter (at least) of her scalp and part of her forehead. Last spring/summer we went through our first round of tissue expanders and plastic surgery to create new skin and remove the mole. While we know the reason for doing it is good, it’s just plain no fun. Of course Ella bounces back to her happy self much quicker than Kirk or I.
Ella’s most recent surgery (see previous posts) was to put in the 2nd round of tissue expanders… hopefully they are also her last, but we won’t be completely sure of that until the plastic surgery at the end of April.
The tissue expander process involves the placing of two surgical plastics balloons under her skin (basically breast implants!) which are then expanded with weekly injections of saline to stretch the skin. Ella’s newest “bubbles” are placed on the right of her forehead (to make skin w/o hair) and on the back left of her scalp (to create skin with hair). We visited Chicago last week for her first injection, and today Kirk started the process of doing them at home… he will be stressed out for the next two months, so if you see him please be nice! 
If you saw Ella last summer and remember how big her bubble got you’ll be happy to know that this rounds should be a bit smaller (although there are two instead of one). The first round involved a 350 ml expander, which was capable of holding up to 500 ml. This round involves 250 ml expanders that can go up to about 350+ ml or so. We’ll see how they grow.
So, it is officially March which means less than two months left until plastic surgery… so close and yet so far away!
And as a very important p.s. Ella adores her little brother Justice, and we are incredibly happy as a family of four!
He’s so cute!
