Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Pectus Excavatum
That is what is wrong with Rory's chest. The doctors assure us there is nothing to worry about, that it did not cause her reflux or growth issues, it isn't affecting her heart or lungs, so we are very relieved. We are hoping she will outgrow it and it won't become a cosmetic issue for her. She's beautiful regardless. Now we can get some sleep :) We've given her pediatrician the boot, and will be seeing her family doctor to find out about the bloating and rashes she's been having. But all in all, very relieved.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Our latest concern
Rory is eating wonderfully, but in full Rory fashion, she has given us MORE to worry about. Her huge tummy, not sure what's causing it, but it's made the hole in her chest much more pronounced. We're supposed to see the ped Thursday but we are hoping to get her in sooner to be seen.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
A blog NOT about Rory!
I need to VENT! This blog entry is not about Rory. She is doing GREAT! This one is about how the best laid plans always turn to CRAP!!
So, we don't qualify for a childcare subsidy. Oh well. Student loans. No more interest relief. No reducing the payments by increasing the term, it's already maxed. No debt reduction, we GROSS too much. Apparently the gov't doesn't care how much they TAKE or how a persons gross is VERY different than what they NET. So, it looks like 3/4 of what I would be making at Eastlink is taken by loans and daycare....and a bus pass and a cell package...so I'll be working for nothing.
EASTLINK...ah, Eastlink. They wanted me back ssooooo bad, but forgot to mention to my temp agency until today that it will be SHIFT WORK!!! Not going to happen. So, as of the first of the month we'll owe our rent, daycare, student loans and I don't even have a flippin' job. LOVELY!!!!
The upside is that hopefully they will find me something downtown close to the daycare. Eastlink was across the city and meant 5 bus rides for the day. I'm praying they find me something soon so I can stop worrying!!!
So, we don't qualify for a childcare subsidy. Oh well. Student loans. No more interest relief. No reducing the payments by increasing the term, it's already maxed. No debt reduction, we GROSS too much. Apparently the gov't doesn't care how much they TAKE or how a persons gross is VERY different than what they NET. So, it looks like 3/4 of what I would be making at Eastlink is taken by loans and daycare....and a bus pass and a cell package...so I'll be working for nothing.
EASTLINK...ah, Eastlink. They wanted me back ssooooo bad, but forgot to mention to my temp agency until today that it will be SHIFT WORK!!! Not going to happen. So, as of the first of the month we'll owe our rent, daycare, student loans and I don't even have a flippin' job. LOVELY!!!!
The upside is that hopefully they will find me something downtown close to the daycare. Eastlink was across the city and meant 5 bus rides for the day. I'm praying they find me something soon so I can stop worrying!!!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Rory is eating and still no weight gain!!
I'll admit it. I'm bummed. I wasn't going to weigh her, but the curiousity got the better of me. She's been eating so well, I thought for sure she would have gained (well, I was hoping....she didn't look bigger). She weighed 18lbs 5 oz today, the same as 2 weeks ago and just under a pound gained in 5 months. I'm bummed. But really, it is sooo enjoyable to watch her eat. We went to McD's yesterday while shopping (a girls day out so to speak) and I bought her a jar of baby food, Apples & Strawberries, just to satisfy the motherly side of me who said "you can't give your baby salty fries only).....and to my surprise she ate half the jar, fries, cheerios and hot fudge sundae...I fed her the white part and kept the fudge for myself :). It's thoroughly life changing. BUT I still can't help myself...I NEED to worry.
My friends at PAGER and I were discussing what would happen if she were to get sick. The thought hadn't crossed my mind, but it's a legitimate concern considering she'll be starting daycare next month and has never really been exposed to much in the apartment. Well, wouldn't you know, she woke up from nap early, and feeling quite miserable. Not sure what's going on. She ate a CRAP LOAD of KD for lunch...but her nose is runny...cold....teeth? Not sure. She's really whiny, which is sort of rare....so of course, I had to take some pictures :P
My friends at PAGER and I were discussing what would happen if she were to get sick. The thought hadn't crossed my mind, but it's a legitimate concern considering she'll be starting daycare next month and has never really been exposed to much in the apartment. Well, wouldn't you know, she woke up from nap early, and feeling quite miserable. Not sure what's going on. She ate a CRAP LOAD of KD for lunch...but her nose is runny...cold....teeth? Not sure. She's really whiny, which is sort of rare....so of course, I had to take some pictures :P
Thursday, August 14, 2008
What I mean by *ribby*
Rory swimming at Grand Lake. She is soooo ribby. Her little swimmers are a size small, and are still too big!!!
Update on Rory
K, I'm the suckiest blogger lately....but I have good reason. Rory has been keeping me very busy. She is so active!
The last month has been very productive. Rory's eating has improved drastically. We've put her on cold bottles, self-fed only, "cold turkey" and while I had apprehension about doing this, it has actually increased her appetite, because she's only drinking about 22 to 24 oz a day, instead of 26 to 30 oz.
While she is eating very nicely, with few refusals and lots of self-feeding, the quantity she consumes is still not there. However, we hope that it will come with time. Things Rory has eaten in the last month:
Cheerios, Cheese, Soup puree, homemade fruit sherbet, cottage cheese, yogurt, bread & butter, scrambled/fried eggs, blueberries, corn, kidney beans (once), stage 2 baby food, hot dogs chopped and mixed with ketchup, any deli meat, cereal, banana, spaghetti, potatoes and cream cheese, arrowroot cookies, cheezies. She is accepting meat and veggies separately but still not swallowing them. This variety though, has allowed me to offer something different at each meal and snack throughout the day. I just can't believe how far she's come. She still will only eat about an oz of food at a sitting, sometimes less, but because I'm offering food at 2 hour intervals, she gets a lot over the course of the day!!!! The biggest accomplishment is that she's not whining and swatting (at least on good days she's not, we still have bad days).
Her sleeping is still hit or miss. I can't put my finger on the reason. It appears to be tummy pain, but it's not every night and she's fine during the day. It could be a particular food, I suppose, but I'd never figure it out, because I'm not cutting anything out now that she's actually eating.
The only down side to all of this is that I'm afraid she's losing weight, or at least not gaining. She appears very very ribby to me. She'll be 17 months on Sunday, and I'm guessing she's still not 18 1/2 lbs. I'm going to take her to be weighed on Monday, hopefully just to ease my mind. I'm sure it will take a while for her to catch up, weight-wise. I'd LOVE to see her hit 20lbs before she starts daycare, because then the onus is on them to get her to eat, and I'm still not sure how that will go.
I see a lot of children through my support groups online, both with and without medical conditions as well as reflux. Rory is VERY small. I know it's partly genetic, but I still can't help but feel like I should be doing *something* to fatten her up a bit. Whether she needs a higher calorie formula or some kind of supplement, I'm not sure. Her weight on Monday will determine whether I call her pediatrician to discuss this concern.
I can't even imagine at this point when she will come off the bottle. She just doesn't drink from a cup with the exception of a few sips of water over the course of the day. I offer juice and formula in it, but she just spits it out and avoids the cup entirely. I cannot even fathom trying to put her on a cup the cold turkey way....she just wouldn't survive it.
Anyway, I'm trying not to be concerned....after all, she has come very very far. But she still refluxes throughout the day, and she has started holding her breath after she eats, almost like she's grunting or in discomfort. It's weird. I also have to mention this to the ped. Obviously, the acid isn't an issue according to the scope, but the fact that she regurgitates constantly must be uncomfortable!
The last month has been very productive. Rory's eating has improved drastically. We've put her on cold bottles, self-fed only, "cold turkey" and while I had apprehension about doing this, it has actually increased her appetite, because she's only drinking about 22 to 24 oz a day, instead of 26 to 30 oz.
While she is eating very nicely, with few refusals and lots of self-feeding, the quantity she consumes is still not there. However, we hope that it will come with time. Things Rory has eaten in the last month:
Cheerios, Cheese, Soup puree, homemade fruit sherbet, cottage cheese, yogurt, bread & butter, scrambled/fried eggs, blueberries, corn, kidney beans (once), stage 2 baby food, hot dogs chopped and mixed with ketchup, any deli meat, cereal, banana, spaghetti, potatoes and cream cheese, arrowroot cookies, cheezies. She is accepting meat and veggies separately but still not swallowing them. This variety though, has allowed me to offer something different at each meal and snack throughout the day. I just can't believe how far she's come. She still will only eat about an oz of food at a sitting, sometimes less, but because I'm offering food at 2 hour intervals, she gets a lot over the course of the day!!!! The biggest accomplishment is that she's not whining and swatting (at least on good days she's not, we still have bad days).
Her sleeping is still hit or miss. I can't put my finger on the reason. It appears to be tummy pain, but it's not every night and she's fine during the day. It could be a particular food, I suppose, but I'd never figure it out, because I'm not cutting anything out now that she's actually eating.
The only down side to all of this is that I'm afraid she's losing weight, or at least not gaining. She appears very very ribby to me. She'll be 17 months on Sunday, and I'm guessing she's still not 18 1/2 lbs. I'm going to take her to be weighed on Monday, hopefully just to ease my mind. I'm sure it will take a while for her to catch up, weight-wise. I'd LOVE to see her hit 20lbs before she starts daycare, because then the onus is on them to get her to eat, and I'm still not sure how that will go.
I see a lot of children through my support groups online, both with and without medical conditions as well as reflux. Rory is VERY small. I know it's partly genetic, but I still can't help but feel like I should be doing *something* to fatten her up a bit. Whether she needs a higher calorie formula or some kind of supplement, I'm not sure. Her weight on Monday will determine whether I call her pediatrician to discuss this concern.
I can't even imagine at this point when she will come off the bottle. She just doesn't drink from a cup with the exception of a few sips of water over the course of the day. I offer juice and formula in it, but she just spits it out and avoids the cup entirely. I cannot even fathom trying to put her on a cup the cold turkey way....she just wouldn't survive it.
Anyway, I'm trying not to be concerned....after all, she has come very very far. But she still refluxes throughout the day, and she has started holding her breath after she eats, almost like she's grunting or in discomfort. It's weird. I also have to mention this to the ped. Obviously, the acid isn't an issue according to the scope, but the fact that she regurgitates constantly must be uncomfortable!
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