Avie's replogle tube came out yesterday. So, that means the plan is to start feeing her today... assuming her little body was able to handle the bile, spit and air that naturally accumulates in the tummy and is usually sent "down stream" if you will.
This is on account of her getting rid of the contrast, finally. The rectal irrigations proved helpful- though I don't know if she NEEDS them in order to poop. I've seen her do it on her own, and I've heard her tooting also. But the plan will be to continue the irrigating while we are working her up to full feeds and then slowly back off, once she is getting enzymes again... the enzymes should take over for the irrigations on the 'breakdown and expel' front.
Today, we start with clear liquids to see how she does. This won't come out as stool, but the thing we are watching for is her tummy distension. If she eats the clear stuff, keeps it down and her stomach doesn't swell- then we know it's passed into the bowels as it should. The next step will be some combination of breast milk and formula given in small doses at first, then gradually increasing until she is at 'full feed' and pooping on her own.
Then she can come home.
Mr. Pluck and I are trying not to get our hopes up, while staying positive at the same time. It's a tough thing to do. We are a little nervous about increasing her feeds too soon because of what happened last time, but we are both anxious to get her home. I don't want to put a date on her discharge because that would be getting my hopes up- but the logical side of me (albeit a small part that doesn't usually speak up) is just counting the possible number of days...
Clear today, the real stuff tomorrow. Increasing by 5ml every 6 hours... we would get to 80ml in about 4-5 days depending on what time of day they start... and if they hold the amount anywhere in the middle for any reason. That would put us at about middle of the week, next week.
... but again, I'm not getting my hopes up. But I do need to make sure we are ready for her: wash the new baby clothes, pack her coming home outfit/bag, install and check the car seat, dust and vacuum the nursery...
I should probably get started.
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Even strong Moms have weak moments
Okay, so my last post was a little depressing. I think I'm allowed some days like that, this isn't an easy process. Let me just say that I realized it and turned my attitude around the very next day. I made sure Avie heard the positivity in my voice and that I kept my thoughts positive.
The next night, Avie had two green stool smears in her diaper! The surgeon was thrilled and scheduled a contrast study. We've done these before she was reanastomosed (put back together) by injecting the contrast into the stoma that we were flushing. But, since she no longer has stomas, the contrast was put into her tummy via a tube in her nose. Like the replogle, but not on suction obviously.
Then we watched it make its way through her intestines by taking x-rays every few hours. I'm please to say that it's still progressing through her system. So far, everyone is happy that it's moving and there are no concerns at this point about the speed at which it is traveling through.
I had a good feeling about this study when we started it. I told my husband that I knew something good was coming out of this and that we were going to get good news from this study.
She hasn't pooped the contrast out yet, but I have heard her fart... which means that the contrast is pushing out some of the gas that made her belly swell up.
So things on the medical front are improving!
On the "I have a baby" side of things, Avie smiled for the first time! The day after our 'birthdays' she smiled. It happened as I was changing her diaper for the first time (I had helped the nurses before, but they had to fold the diaper in a certain way at the top to avoid hitting the ileostomy- so I never completed the full process). My husband was talking to her and taking pictures when she looked right at him and grinned. We were both frozen with joy... and I was almost weak in the knees!
What's next?? Walking?!
The next night, Avie had two green stool smears in her diaper! The surgeon was thrilled and scheduled a contrast study. We've done these before she was reanastomosed (put back together) by injecting the contrast into the stoma that we were flushing. But, since she no longer has stomas, the contrast was put into her tummy via a tube in her nose. Like the replogle, but not on suction obviously.
Then we watched it make its way through her intestines by taking x-rays every few hours. I'm please to say that it's still progressing through her system. So far, everyone is happy that it's moving and there are no concerns at this point about the speed at which it is traveling through.
I had a good feeling about this study when we started it. I told my husband that I knew something good was coming out of this and that we were going to get good news from this study.
She hasn't pooped the contrast out yet, but I have heard her fart... which means that the contrast is pushing out some of the gas that made her belly swell up.
So things on the medical front are improving!
On the "I have a baby" side of things, Avie smiled for the first time! The day after our 'birthdays' she smiled. It happened as I was changing her diaper for the first time (I had helped the nurses before, but they had to fold the diaper in a certain way at the top to avoid hitting the ileostomy- so I never completed the full process). My husband was talking to her and taking pictures when she looked right at him and grinned. We were both frozen with joy... and I was almost weak in the knees!
What's next?? Walking?!
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