However, Caili isn't her happy self. At times she is truly inconsolable. No one seems to be able to tell us for sure, but we're convinced the explanation is simple; we believe that she's constantly hungry. She is always rooting, searching for food, wanting to eat. Her feeding tube routes a truly constant trickle of breast milk past her stomach directly to her small intestine which simply doesn't make her feel full, satiated, content. At times her drive to eat seems manic, as if she feels she's starving, and she's nearly impossible to comfort. It's heartbreaking to experience.
Tomorrow (Tuesday), we hope to get back on track to resolving the problem. They'll be conducting a test that hopefully will help to determine the extent of her reflux problem and whether she able to "protect her airway" or if she is aspirating into her lungs. Of course, we can address reflux with medication but aspiration will more difficult to address. If all goes well and the study concludes she does not aspirate, they will start with moving the feeding tube out of her intestine and back to her stomach. And if that goes well, the next step would be allowing her to actually eat by mouth again. We obviously want to go slowly so that we can minimize the risk, but were excited and optimistic that she'll do well, and that soon she'll get the doctors approval to nurse again.
Until then, we're trying to focus on how well she's doing and thanking God for giving her the incredible strength to fight through such difficult challenges.
Please keep her in your thoughts and hope that the test results allow Caili to once again be fed in a more natural and fulfilling way. We'll update you later this week with the outcome.
1 comment:
Dear Lauren and Tim,
We recently learned, from Lu Cornejo, of Cailin's early arrival and all that your family has been going through. Please know that we're thinking of you.
Best wishes, Nichole & Ken Rowles
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