Faith's Blended Diet and Other Things that Help with Her Digestion

-
Image
This page contains affiliate links and Faith's Mom may earn a commission if you use them. As an Amazon Associate, Faith's Mom earns from qualifying purchases.  Learn more.   Ever since Faith was born, she has struggled with her digestion. When she was in the NICU, she would spit up after eating even the tiniest amount of formula. Her dad and I were convinced her tummy was too small to handle large volumes of food. Sometimes when she ate, her heart rate would drop really low, which is why she needed to be in the NICU for longer. She just could not get the hang of eating and breathing at the same time!  Faith receiving food through an NG tube in the NICU.  Grandma giving Faith a bottle when she was 2 months old.  After finally bringing her home, eating continued to be an issue as she struggled with severe reflux and constipation. We tried various formulas, but she was never able to drink enough formula to gain a lot of weight. She also had trouble burping, and she...
2 comments

Conscious Sedation - A New Experience for Our Brave Girl

-
I am so very proud of both Rob and Faith. I only wish I could have been there with them. Today was a new experience as Faith's medical providers used conscious sedation while administering her Botox shots.

I was pretty bummed that I couldn't be there. January marks our busiest month at work so taking time off is limited. I already have to take time off on Monday for an appointment. So, there I was this morning at work wanting to be with Faith and praying that all would go well.

Rob and Faith had to be at the hospital at 8:30. Faith's pediatrician was there, along with a few other of Faith's favorite medical providers. She was especially happy to see PBS playing on the television. Seeing something familiar helped to keep her calm.

Rob and I have struggled in the past wondering if conscious sedation was the right thing to do for Faith. It just didn't seem like giving her sedation drugs every time she got Botox was very good for her. In the past during her Botox injections, I would have to hold her down while they gave her the five shots in the back of her legs. It seemed to take forever, and she screamed through the whole ordeal but when it was over she was fine.

For this round, Faith's doctors talked us into using conscious sedation. They said it was better for her, not just because it was painless but because Faith wouldn't have as vivid of a memory of the event. 

They also told us that she would not be completely put under like she had been with her feeding tube surgery and her phenol block. She had a really tough time after those procedures because the anesthetics really upset her tummy and we ended up having to stay at the hospital longer than anticipated.

Needless to say, today's event went much better than we could have possibly imagined. Faith didn't cry once - not even when they tried to put the iv in one hand and then when that didn't work, put it in the other. After giving her the sedation medication, Faith was very relaxed but not completely asleep. Rob was right there by her side praying for her the whole time. And before they knew it, they were back home.

I was a little stunned when I checked my e-mail on my lunch break and Rob said everything went really well and that Faith didn't even cry. I called home on my 2:00 break just to make sure everything was still okay. 

Faith was happy and excited for me to come home so she could tell me about her adventure at the hospital. When I did get home, she said, "Mommy I was a really big girl at the hospital today." 

She has lots of stickers to prove it!

Our brave girl in her new jammies!

Comments

Post a Comment

Most Popular Posts

Guest Post: Who Needs Sympathy?

-
Image
Guest Post by Stephen Gallup Last week, a columnist for the local newspaper interviewed me in connection with a memoir I wrote that’s being published this year. It was a comfortable, low-key discussion in which he asked about the basic facts regarding my disabled son Joseph and what I’ve learned that might be of value to other families. It was the sort of dialog that required no special preparation in advance. I just sat down with him and talked about the subject closest to my heart. But looking back on it now, one thing bothers me. In concluding the interview, the reporter expressed heartfelt sympathy for everything I’ve endured. He was being more than polite. I mean, he laid the compassion on with a spatula. Startled, and already thinking ahead to what I had to do next that day, I just thanked him and said goodbye. But now that final note troubles me. I don’t want sympathy! First of all, from the point of view of a new author hoping to promote his book, sympathy...
Read more

Our Review of Wheel of Fortune: The New Era

-
Image
This page contains affiliate links and Faith's Mom may earn a commission if you use them. As an Amazon Associate, Faith's Mom earns from qualifying purchases.  Learn more.   Last year, when I heard the news that Pat Sajak was retiring from Wheel of Fortune , I knew I better prepare Faith. When season 41 began, I told her, "This is Pat's last season. Next year, there will be a new host."  Faith likes Vanna but loves Pat!  Faith and I have faithfully watched Wheel of Fortune every night since she was about 5 years old. It's how she learned that AEIOU were vowels. The show was also a great way to reinforce the rest of the alphabet. Counting was reinforced, too. When Vanna turned the letters, she counted how many T's, N's, or other letters there were.  She also learned some geography skills with the different trips they gave away. Upon winning a trip to Aruba, she would ask, "Where's that?" Sometimes I honestly didn't know and had to loo...
Read more

Faith's Blended Diet and Other Things that Help with Her Digestion

-
Image
This page contains affiliate links and Faith's Mom may earn a commission if you use them. As an Amazon Associate, Faith's Mom earns from qualifying purchases.  Learn more.   Ever since Faith was born, she has struggled with her digestion. When she was in the NICU, she would spit up after eating even the tiniest amount of formula. Her dad and I were convinced her tummy was too small to handle large volumes of food. Sometimes when she ate, her heart rate would drop really low, which is why she needed to be in the NICU for longer. She just could not get the hang of eating and breathing at the same time!  Faith receiving food through an NG tube in the NICU.  Grandma giving Faith a bottle when she was 2 months old.  After finally bringing her home, eating continued to be an issue as she struggled with severe reflux and constipation. We tried various formulas, but she was never able to drink enough formula to gain a lot of weight. She also had trouble burping, and she...
Read more

Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month: Reflecting On Our Journey So Far

-
Image
Did you know there are 1 million people in the United States who have cerebral palsy? I guess that means Faith truly is one in a million!  Faith was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when she was six months old. Prior to that, she had been given the diagnosis of Periventricular Leukomalacia  (PVL). During her premature birth, there was a lack of oxygen to her brain, which resulted in damage to the white matter, or inner part of her brain.  I will never forget receiving that news. Faith's Dad and I were told that nobody knew what the long-term effects of PVL would look like for her. All I could do was stare at my tiny daughter lying in her isolette, hooked up to all kinds of tubes and lines, and choose to believe she would be okay.  Faith in the NICU a few days after she was born. After over 70 days in the NICU, we finally took her home to Watford City. There, she would receive regular visits from an Early Intervention team who would assess her and ensure that she met al...
Read more