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Elena's Introduction
My name is Elena and I am 24 years old. I have lived in Colorado Springs since I was a year old. I was born in Georgia with a bilateral cleft lip and palate. After my birth I was flown by helicopter to Jacksonville Florida where I had my first surgery at six weeks. I had two more before I was a year old, both to close my palate. To date I have had only twelve surgeries. ( I say only because my cousin also born with a bilateral clet lip and palate had twice that many before he was my age.) My last surgery was done twelve years ago in Denver and it was a bone graft. I was planning on having at least two more according to my surgeon, but he is retired now, so I'm not quite sure. I am married to my high school sweetheart, Eric, and we have a beautiful three (Almost four) year old daughter, Amanda, who was born with a unilateral cleft lip and palate.