A baby boy who was born with craniosynostosis will celebrate his first birthday after a miracle surgery.
Flex Dan, who will turn one this month, was born with a defect in which the bones in his skull fuse together before the brain is fully developed.
Lucy was 20 weeks pregnant when she and her husband Aaron were told by doctors that their baby’s head was out of shape.
Only days after Flex was born, he was diagnosed with craniosynostosis. He was only 9 weeks old when he underwent his first surgery.
But because of the severity of his condition, Flex needed another operation.
A team of doctors managed to fix the fused bones in Flex’s skull and placed them back together like a jigsaw puzzle.
In an interview with Daily Mail, Lucy said that the operation lasted seven hours and their son spent six more days in the hospital to recover.
“The recovery was rough. His eyes swelled shut for three days and he couldn’t see,” she shared. “We’re hoping it’s the last one (operation) but we aren’t sure because it’s such a rare situation.”
Lucy said that after her son’s first surgery, there were big changes to his behavior.
“When he was born he didn’t really look at us or focus on us and he wasn’t developing great,” she said. “All of a sudden he was so happy and different.”
Ms. Dan said she had never heard of the condition. “We kind of just didn’t have a choice from day one. We thought this (surgery) is going to happen to him or he’s going to die,” she expressed.
“It’s not really something you think about when you’re having a baby.”
Doctors gave them the option to abort the pregnancy but Lucy couldn’t do it.
“There was something about his little face in the ultrasounds and I thought he looked so perfect. I don’t think we’d ever be able to forgive ourselves if we went down that road,” she said.
Since his surgery last month, Flex has been making astonishing progress.
Surgeons used 3D modelling and carried out numerous practice surgeries before they performed on his skull. They have reassured his parents that their son won’t suffer intellectual or long term problems from the condition.
Like any other child, Flex will also be able to play sports and the long scar across his head will be covered up by his hair.
“He’s doing really well and the surgeons are really happy with his progress,” Lucy shared.
“He was pretty unfazed after the first surgery but he’s a bit shy now after the recent operation even around family members. He’s turned into a clingy mummy’s boy,” she added.
“But he’s going to live a completely normal life.”
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