Thursday, July 12, 2007

In the Toe: A Feeding Clinic Update

On Daddy's birthday the entire family drove up to Milwaukee for Charlotte's bi-monthly feeding clinic visit. (An aside: Unlike our previous 2 visits, we made it there and back with no automotive events.)

Charlotte and Daddy. Or "Big and little Geyskens," as I like to call them.



As we pulled into the parking lot, I asked Charlotte if she was hungry. Here is, more or less, our conversation:


Me: Are you hungry?
Charlotte: Yes! Eating!
Me: Where do you feel hungry?
Charlotte: In the toe!
Me & Philippe (trying hard not to laugh out loud): Where?
Charlotte: In the TOE!
Me: Oh. Where else? Do you feel hungry in your tummy?
Charlotte: No.




During her clinic visit, she ate more than a quarter cup of pureed taco and some pureed refried bean and to drink all of her Pediasure.



I guess that toe really knows what it's talking about!

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Drinking milk like a big girl. Charlotte loves her open cup. What a mess!

(Check out those biceps!)

And now for the serious part of the update (not that there is much serious about Miss Charlotte): The feeding clinic team is impressed with her eating. They expect that she might wean (or be weaned) off of the g-tube while only eating purees and drinking Pediasure. Chewing may take a while.

Dr. Long is still talking about in-patient weaning, though I dislike the idea more and more (especially during the summer). Frankly, I dislike it because Charlotte and I would be confined to the hospital for 2 weeks. Maybe that would be okay in December once my UIC semester ends, but on a gorgeous August day, yuck. Anyway, we're on the wait list, so it's not terribly imminent. Charlotte may make it a moot point if she continues to eat like a champ.

Her increased vomiting is something we just have to live with. Her meds are dosed appropriately for her weight. Basically, Dr. Long, Amy, and Julie (RN) said that if Charlotte isn't upset by it and is still gaining weight, we should let it be. She'll mostly likely grow out of it.

Charlotte's official CHOW weight is now 28.8 lbs and she is 36" tall. Three feet, baby! The weight gain is a bit low for a month, but we've had a stomach flu and a trip to Virginia, so we'll reassess next week.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hello Ilene...this is Jennifer. I used to help you with your insurance issues when you had Empire Blue Cross. I was just checking to see how Charlotte is doing. It looks like she is doing excellent...I am so happy to see that. I am glad I was able to help you with your insurance back then because having to worry about stuff like that should be the least of your worries. I hope everything is going well for you now!! I was remembering back in May that it was Charlotte's birthday and remembered you had a blog and I am just getting to take a look now!! Like I said- I am very happy that she is doing so well...Best wishes and have a great summer!!