Hi Judith, I have wondered the same for my 2 year old son, will he know who I am b/c one day you can look one way and another day you can look totally different. But as long as you continue to have the same love as before (really you will have more b/c now you will be able to do more) she will always know who her grandma is. Good luck and God Bless... My surgery is 7/17/01.