Laaaiiiid back

So the test on Tuesday went just fine. Landry was a trooper about having to fast. We were supposed to get to the hospital at 9:00, which we did, but didn't start the test until 9:40. I figured this would happen so I fed him at 6:45 which ended up being perfect for his 3 hours of fasting. He was great and during the test, he was actually content because his stomach was full of the dye he had to drink. It was pretty interesting to get to see how this test works. He has had it twice before but I wasn't in the room. He lays under a machine that shows a live picture of his stomach and intestines so you can watch the dye go through it in real time - not just x-ray still pictures. The surgeon was in the room as well and she was very pleased with the rate that it moved through the area that was reconnected. The discretion between the larger portion and smaller portion didn't seem to be much different to me than it was a month ago but the surgeon said it actually was a lot better but would still take several months to go back to normal. I was reassured to hear that the dye could travel through the part that was reattached at a great rate. I wonder though if this will still be the case when he starts solids in a few months. I will have to ask about this. I was already planning on holding him off until closer to 6 months to begin solids but it seems like it might be harder for his intestines to pass this thru since it will be thicker. Who knows...I'm not a doctor (although I can pretend!) but it just seems this might be something we need to carefully watch. The doctor wants to see Landry again for a follow up in three months so we can discuss this then perhaps. The doctor also talked to our regular pediatrician about Landry's vaccines. We are going to space them out so that his body doesn't get overwhelmed. We are also going to skip some of the more unnecessary ones or put them off until later.

Landry continues to be the easiest baby ever. It makes for a very happy mama!! It sure makes having two much less difficult than it could be. We sure love our sweet, sweet boy!

Test on Tuesday

Landry is scheduled for another barium dye test Tuesday morning. I know it is important for him to have and it will give us valuable information about just how well his intestines are functioning but I am not looking forward to it! For one, he has to fast 3-4 hours before hand. This will be very hard for this chunky monkey because he wants to eat every hour and a half. I am also hoping he doesn't have to go in that tube thing that he had to go in last time. It is a baby torture chamber and we both hated every second of it last time. So, it will be nice when Tuesday morning is over!

Things at home have been just great. Landry is pretty much over his cold and is sleeping great. The past few nights he's slept until three or so and then gets up around 7 or 8. It is very doable. I can't believe just how different he is from Cade - not just in sleep but everything! He is a big boy too - he is already wearing 6 month clothes. Cade has been really sweet with him which is so fun to watch. He loves to tickle his toes and always gives him kisses when he sees him in the morning. Having two really hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be. Of course, there are moments but they are few and far between and can usually be avoided by some serious multi-tasking and planning ahead. =)

For the love!

So Landry has had a cold since we got home from the hospital that has gotten progressively worse. I'm almost 100% sure he got it from Cade because Cade has the same thing. Just a runny nose, not anything too major. Landry has been waking up more at night the past few nights and didn't give us any smiles yesterday. By the evening, he had a fever of 101.4 and a goopy eye. Ear infection! So I took him to Urgent Care this morning and got him on antibiotics. Then I called the surgeon who had put him on the probiotics before and asked if we should do that again as well since the antibiotics might kill off the good bacteria in his intestines. She agreed this was a good idea so that is our plan. I tell ya, this kid! So between the PRObiotics and the ANTIbiotics we should be good! I hope these biotics know what they are doing because this plan seems a little oxymoronish to me. Biotics are confusing!




After seeing the striking resemblance to Landry's shirt and himself, we are foregoing the sumo wrestler idea. He will be a monkey and I've already found the costume!

He's a growin' MANIAC!

I can't keep up with this kid! All he wants to do is eat and eat and eat some more. I LITERALLY can't keep up! After he nurses, he wants a bottle and downs that as well. I fully expect him to be 30 pounds by Halloween, which will make for a great sumo wrestler costume. He is close to outgrowing all his 3 month clothes and I've already had to order the next size up in his diapers. It is all coming out the other end so the doctor says not to worry but MAN! This kid can really eat!

Goin' strong!

Landry is doing great at home so far. He is just such a good baby, I can't even believe it. He is so happy!! I would be too if I was finally out of the hospital and not being poked and prodded every day! We had a follow up appointment with his surgeon on Wednesday. She is setting up an appointment for us to see the pediatric gastroenterologist next time she comes over from Seattle. It won't be for a few months and if Landry is doing well we won't need to see her at all. Landry is schedule for an upper gi barium dye test again at the end of the month. The surgeon wants to see what his intestines look like when he is doing good. Having both at home hasn't been as hectic as I thought it would be and Cade has been a real trooper adjusting to having to share his mommy and daddy. He brings Landry his blankets and paci's when I am nursing him and even brings me my water bottle! Such a helper...of course, don't think he won't take a swipe at Landry's head when he has had enough either! One day he will be in for a big surprise when Landry pops him back!

Home again, home again

Well - we brought Landry home today which is great. He is doing just wonderful - still having a little diarrhea but not enough that it should dehydrate him again. I love our surgeon - she came in today to see Landry on her day off before he went home. It was great to be able to ask her some of my questions but unfortunately, she still doesn't know exactly why this happened. It could have been just a virus. More likely though I think, the vaccines triggered this reaction in him. His immune system isn't as strong as a typical two month old because of his surgeries and hospital stays. The vaccines are typically rougher on these types of kids. He isn't going to get the rotavirus vaccine at all now - the doctor felt that since he wouldn't be going to daycare, his chance of exposure is far less. Plus, it is a newer vaccine and does not work 100% of the time anyway. In two months, his next round of vaccines is scheduled. They might be postponed until he is stronger, or we might space them out so as not to overload his body all at once. At any rate, it is great to have him home and get everything back in order again.

We meet with the surgeon on Wednesday for a follow up appointment. We are so lucky to have such a wonderful doctor in our area. I asked her about Landry seeing a pediatric gastroenterologist. There is one that comes over quarterly from Seattle Children't Hospital. Unfortunately, she was just out so she won't be back for a couple months. However, if this is something that continues, or if we need to make a decision about whether or not to operate again, I would love to meet with this doctor. I am so grateful that Missoula has our surgeon but I wish we had more specialists. Perhaps I will just have to take him to CHOC for an extended OC visit!! Hehe - just kidding....or not... =)

Confused

Well we are still here and probably will be for at least a few more days. Landry is getting better, it is just taking a long time. He is getting less fluid through his IVs and his diarrhea is slowing down. The doctor on call here today told me that now she thinks that Landry doesn't have a bug but rather he is experiencing a reaction similar to kids who have short gut would get. The trigger would be the vaccines that he got on Tuesday and his body just reacted this way. She doesn't think it is a bug because his white blood cell count is still high, he hasn't tested positive for any viruses from stool samples, and we can't pinpoint an exposure to any bugs that we know about. So - if this is the case, my next question for the surgeon is going to be if the swollen part of the intestine is the part that would cause this or if it is just his intestines throughout. If it is the larger section, is the answer surgery to cut it out? Will he not have anymore of these episodes if that is done? If we leave that bit of intestine in, will we keep having these episodes every time his body is exposed to something? I will have to wait until Monday to ask her these questions. I think Tyler is going to stay here tonight. As much as I wish I could stay here to nurse Landry, I think my body is just getting too worn down staying here night after night. A decent night's sleep will be nice, even though I will still need to get up to pump. It goes without saying that I can't wait to get him home again and hopefully once and for all!