A busy last few weeks for baby Chad but just wanted to update how amazingly well this little baby is doing! We have been, and are, so blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives and to have the donations and prayers that have got us all this far, and without all the support I am not sure where we would be.

Chad continues to amaze us with his strength and medical breakthroughs. We had an updated CT scan which shows bone has grown in the large gap in the front of the skull, truly amazing and this has impressed his surgeon as well. Since his CT scan looks so good, along with this brain looking awesome, his surgery date is the 3rd December in Johannesburg (Sunninghill hospital) where I will stay with him for a month, and Dad having to come back to Durban after the surgery to continue work. This will be a difficult time I am sure but we have come this far and I know he will recover well! The surgery is to advance the forehead in order to protect his eyes which protrude, make them more even and allow room for his brain to grow, it also involves separating the fused coronal sutures. We have faith in his great surgical team and know he will pull through. In order for the surgery to take place he had to see his Cardiologist to give the go ahead and again, so blessed to have such wonderful news that his VSD completely closed on it's own and he is clear for surgery!

Due to chronic fluid build up in his ears we are due to have grommets Monday 8th October and this will help him hear better. I am always apprehensive with anaesthetic as with Apert syndrome there is always a higher risk of issues with their small airways but I know he will be in good hands.

Apart from all of the surgical interventions he has done so well with his weekly physical therapy sessions, and has much better upper body control and it's quite amazing to see how he adapts with his fused fingers to toys and even holds his bottle to feed himself! He even poops on the loo in his baby throne and is loving eating sweet potato and avo!

It has been a difficult road both physically and emotionally draining and it is only just beginning, we are used to getting some stares already when we take him out but you become immune and life must go on! We have been so blessed with such support that any bad experiences are suppressed. I pray everyday for him to have as much of a normal life with friends, surrounded by a good community where he is accepted for who he is not for the differences in his appearance. We have been referred to a Cape Town surgeon as well who performs a rare procedure which could benefit his breathing next year and await his response, as well as his hand surgery which will take place around 18 months in Durban.

We are just amazed by the overwhelming generosity of friends, family and strangers and Thank You all so much. Even though the words, 'thank you' does not seem enough we are truly truly thankful from the bottom of our hearts and continue to try pay it forward where possible.

I will continue to update Chads journey along the way, all our love. The Classens family.

CT scan at 7 weeks of Chads Skull

CT scan at 7 months with new bone growth

Loving to giggle at his Aunty Candace playing Peek-a-boo

Beautiful healthy happy sweet Chaddy, my heart