Pictures, Surgery, Feeding, Recovery...OH MY!

I know, I havn't done a very good job keeping you all updated. Sorry. I probably should have had someone else update for me. Ooops. Davis had his surgery this past Thursday. He had the nissen fundoplication and they put in the g-tube (feeding tube into his stomach). Thursday, Friday, and Satruday SUCKED. The days were bad, but the nights were worse. We are home now (came home Sunday night). I'm so glad he's feeling better now! I can already tell the nissen is what he needed. He's much more content, and so happy...even with the pain of surgery! Darn reflux was so bad! The feeding...that's a whole other story. It's still not good. Mostly because of behavior. He is used to eating an ounce or two, then stopping because it hurts. He's still doing that. The doctor said it could take some time for him to realize it doesn't hurt anymore. In the meantime, we feed him what he will take with the bottle, then put the rest in the feeding tube. Sometimes it goes well, sometimes it ends with everyone in tears. Please keep praying for our sweet baby...and us. My mom is keeping him this week while he heals. Next week, he goes back to daycare. I don't even want to think about it. They can't even remember to put the desitin on when they change his diaper, let alone remember how to use the feeding tube. Again...I don't even want to think about it. Perhaps we can get just one more miracle!

I have tons of pictures and updates. I'll get there. In the meantime, I thought you'd like to see some of the pictures my sister took of him at 3 and 4 months. Sometimes the out-takes are the best. He's so expressive! And, so smiley and happy...until he sees the camera. :) Sorry buddy...get used to it! Aunt Sha always has a camera stuck to her face! (Mommy too)

First time to ever be in the grass! And, look at those legs! STANDING!! He loves standing up, and "bouncing." The exersaucer is his new favorite toy! Mine too! I can't get enough! Love it!

He loved it!

Still checking out the grass. And his mama can't help but smile watching him STAND!

He looks so "grown" up in this one!

Because many have asked, specific prayer requests:
- His feeding. He needs to be taking at least 6 ounces every 3-4 hours by mouth to quit using the feeding tube. He currently takes 1-2, and we put 2 more in the tube every 3 hours (total of 4).
- His head. Still no sign of any extra fluid on his brain! Yay!
- His bowel and bladder function. Still considered to be normal, but can change at any time as he grows.
- His daycare. It's a great place...if you're kid isn't as high maintenance as Davis is. Please pray they take good care of him...feeding, diaper changes, etc.
- His doctors.
- His parents! :)
- Did I mention his feeding?!?

Thank you!! I hope to be back this weekend with more pictures, a four month update, and TONS of firsts!!

Surgery

We talked to the doctor today. He thinks surgery is definitely our only option. We have an appointment with the surgeon next week (Wednesday, the 18th). He will then schedule the actual surgery. Poor Davis...but he needs some relief. So do we. After we meet with the surgeon, I'll post all the details about the surgery. I could post them now, but it will be easier to just lump it all into one big post. Thank you for praying!!

Update

Reflux is worse than ever...feedings worse than ever. New medicine is not working. Losing weight. 3 ounces in just 2 days. It's alot when you only weigh 12/13 pounds. Doctor said he has until Wednesday to be 100% better, then he schedules appointment with surgeon. *sigh* At this point, the surgery doesn't sound so bad afterall. Thank you for praying for our sweet baby. He's hurting...And we can't help him.

A Plan...

sort-of. Most of you know this already, but Davis was admitted to the hospital Tuesday morning. He was put to sleep and had 3 procedures done. First, they put a scope down his throat, through his stomach and into the first part of his intestines. Then, they went up from the other end. Yikes. Everything from that looked normal. They took biopsies, and the results should be back in about 7 days. He said even though it all looked normal, there could be allergy cells, and some other stuff. We will see. The third procedure was a pH probe. They stuck a tube up his nose down into his stomach. It had a little box, and a LOT of instructions, and it monitored all of the "goings on" in his stomach and esophagus for 24 hours. He said it would take 2 days to get the results of that one, but after the night we had, the nurses reported back to Dr. O and he decided to keep us and "rush" some of the results. Thank goodness. I should add that as horrible as the nurses thought last night went, it was absolutely typical for us. *sigh* It showed that he does, in fact, have acid reflux, but it is well controlled by the medications he takes. More importantly, it showed that he has "severe non-acid reflux." The cliff notes version of that one...everything that goes down into the stomach comes right back up. That explains A LOT! Yay! Now, for the fix. It's tricky. Dr. O wants to be conservative right now. He started him on a new medication. It should help the stomach empty faster, it coats the stomach, and works as an appetite stimulant...among other things. We go back to see him in 4 weeks. If it's working, we keep at it. If it isn't working, we have another surgery. It's called a Nissen Funduplication. I see it a lot at work, and have to say, it wouldn't be the worst of things. Definitely better than a feeding tube. The way a nissen works...they take the top part of the stomach and pull it up over the sphincter that connects the stomach to the esophagus. It makes it so it's a "one-way street." Things go down, but NOTHING can come up. It means he'd never throw up, reflux, etc. You get the idea. Not without its risks, but better than what we've got going now. So, for now, we try the medicine, and pray it works. We don't want surgery. It doesn't get any easier sending them away to be put to sleep. But, if it's what he needs, we'll do it.

As always, our journey is well documented in pictures. I will warn you...some are beyond pitiful. But, he is mostly back to himself today. Smiling, talking, playing, and laughing out loud, but still sleeping a lot too.

Please keep praying for our sweet baby!! I hate seeing him in pain!

The big lump on his head is the IV. He was so dehydrated, it's the only place they could find a vein. He has little "holes" and bruises all over his ankles, feet, hands, arms,  and neck. Pitiful. This is what he looked like for all of the day, and into the night.

When we turned the TV on, we saw this. Then we clicked the yellow button...

...and saw this. How cute!

Starting to wake up...finally!!

Flirting with the nurses. :)

The red light monitors oxygen saturation. It absolutely DROVE HIM BANANAS. He worked all night trying to get it off. And, eventually found success. When he finally got it off, he smiled, and looked at me like "did you see that...i did it." It was so cute.

After they took that tube out this morning,  and he calmed down, he was all smiles, and talked to everyone. (For the record, taking that tube out was AWEFUL!!)

And, just so he doesn't have that giant lump on his head in all of them, here's just a sweet picture.

Again, thank you all for your continued prayers!!  I'll keep you posted. And, I hope to be back in a couple of days with another post. We've had a lot of firsts to report about! :)