Oct 31, 2008

Happy Halloween! (Addy update!)


Happy Halloween! I'll be sure to post back tomorrow with trick-or-treat photos. Since this will be Addy's first time trick-or-treating, I thought we'd do a reverse trick-or-treat and hand candy back to the houses we visit. Nick and I made cute little treat bags last night with about 5 pieces of candy in each. We used up some of my scrapbook scrap paper and they turned out so cute. We won't be home to pass out candy, so this is our way to give back. I hope people get it. We'll probably only hit 10 houses or so, but still, it should be fun. The weather looks great too. Between 60-68 degrees. Not bad for Halloween in Indiana!

Yesterday we had an eventful day. After working in the morning, we had to take Addy to Riley for her 18 month pediatrician appointment. She got a vaccine and a flu shot. Unless she gets sick, they don't need to see her for 6 months! YAHOO! Her weight is still a concern, but the developmental team is following that so the pediatrician said he didn't need to follow it too.

I asked the doctor to print the results of her Upper GI and Small Bowel Follow Through for me since I hadn't gotten them (test was done Sept 22). No problem. He did and it showed no abnormalities. I also received the results from the pH probe and the impedance study in the mail yesterday. Once again, no abnormalities... her level of acid reflux was totally in the norm, she didn't even need the prevacid we had been giving her for the better part of a year now! (Of course, she could have grown out of it a little too, but I wonder why no one suggested this test before we started medicating her!). The other day, we received a letter about the biopsies they did during the endoscopy. Of course, they were all normal, so all the tests we've done so far have not gotten us any closer to the answer to why she is always vomiting and can't handle her feedings well.

I called the GI office after returning home from the hospital. Dr. Fitzgerald, himself, called me back and said he really didn't think there was anything else they could do for us and he referred us back to developmental. His suggestion was that it was behavioral. I just couldn't really wrap my head around it. Why on earth would she be vomiting on purpose? Doesn't make any sense to me. Then, while on the phone with someone else, Dr. Fitzgerald called back and left a voicemail. He said that there was one other test that could be done, a gastric emptying test. The results of this may show why she is vomiting and not able to handle volume or rate increases well. He said his office would be calling to schedule the tests.

Dr. Fitzgerald has also passed all of these test results on to developmental and has requested that developmental contact us about doing a swallow study. I think the last one we did was about a year ago. This would rule out aspiration and would allow us to be more confident with giving her food by mouth. I'd also like to discuss a possible food allergy test with developmental, although I think this is done by the pulmonology office. I've asked from day one if she could possibly be allergic to something in her Neosure and all the doctors have been adament that it wasn't possible. We'll see.

Addy is 18 months and 6 days old (14 months and 21 days according to her due date) and weighs 18 lbs, 5.7oz. Her length is 28 1/4". Obviously, this is well below the pecentage charts and we'd all love to see her catch up. Look at the hair growing over her little ears... she may need a haircut soon!

3 comments:

JessieLeigh said...

LOVE the pic of Addy-- she's so cute!!! (and super cute outfit too :))

I was just wondering... did she have severe reflux or vomiting issues back when she was on breast milk?

I'm still so puzzled that no allergy tests were run. It's such a simple fix to go on Isomil formula for awhile (expensive, but simple) if a dairy allergy ended up being the culprit. And allergy tests are easier than everything else they've put her through...

My nephew who was allergic to dairy and soy (and they often go together, unfortunately) outgrew both allergies by age 3. It was a lot of work for my sister to read every single label, but so much better than having him vomit all the time!

Good luck with everything.

Ryann said...

Yes, jessieleigh, she's always had vomiting issues. She was always on breast milk mixed with Neosure for extra calories though, never straight bm.

I am extremely puzzled too about the allergy tests. The first day in the NICU they gave her Neosure, I read the container and after she vomited for an entire day, I asked if it could be caused by an allergy to something in the Neosure. I was reassured that it couldn't be the case, but that she was just a "normal preemie" with reflux. I've asked every doctor we've come in contact with about a possible allergy and have always been shot down. I am going to call and get something scheduled soon.

Thanks for always being there to listen to me about preemie things (and other things too!) You are a good friend!

nicole green said...

you guys are so cute and so nice! i love that you handed them a treat back!

i hope the tests will show why she's vomiting. i think it's insane they haven't figure it out yet! :(