Changing Faces, Changing Lives

Teddy’s Story

Teddy’s Mum Yvette tells their story…

Teddy was born via a planned C-section. On day three, during a routine checkup, the paediatrician came in to examine him. My husband, Alex, jokingly commented, “Thank goodness he doesn’t have a head like mine,” as Alex was born with craniosynostosis. The paediatrician responded with, “Let’s do some ultrasounds on his head, just to be sure”.

Sure enough, one morning, five doctors, nurses, and midwives entered our hospital room with news that turned our world upside down—our little boy had Sagittal Craniosynostosis.

All I could hear were the words “hospital” and “surgery.” I was terrified, thinking they might take my baby away immediately. It was incredibly difficult to share this news with our family, especially when we were only beginning to understand what craniosynostosis meant ourselves.

Teddy’s surgery was scheduled for the 21st of August, 2024. In the lead-up, he underwent multiple scans, MRIs, blood tests, 3D photographs, and eye tests.

The day finally arrived, and while I was a wreck inside, I trusted the incredible medical team completely. Teddy was set to undergo strip sagittal surgery, followed by 12 months of helmet therapy. Knowing my tiny three-month-old was about to endure so much pain, without any way to explain it to him, broke my heart.

The first night after surgery was the hardest moment of my life. Teddy wasn’t responding well to the pain medication, letting out heartbreaking sounds I didn’t know he was capable of. He even lost his voice for a week afterward. With IV lines and monitors connected to every limb, I felt helpless and overwhelmed with guilt. All I could do was hold him and whisper, “I’m so sorry”.

Now, here we are, five months post-op. My little boy is happier than ever, handling his helmet therapy beautifully. His infectious laugh and radiant smile light up every room. I am so proud of how strong he has been through it all.

Follow Teddy’s journey on Instagram: Teddy the Brave.

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Sagittal Synostosis

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