It's been a few weeks. No news to report at this time, really. What's happening is - we are truckin right along! Same ol' same ol'. I never did make that photo entry detailing the steps, nor the video. The idea is definitely not gone - just hasn't happened. Yet! Oh that crazy TIME - - always getting away from me.
No more cracks in the syringes. I'm sure it was direct contact with the FreezPaks. Also, no more constipation. Or if it seems he's not gone in a few days, he figures it out pretty soon. Have not gone FOURTEEN days like we did with a med change.
Have not noticed increased nasal sucretions with the addition of milk, so milk, for now, is a go. That is helpful. We are getting a LOT of it, through WIC, and it's a good liquid base to every meal.
Had a check up appointment with Hank's cardiologist about a week ago. As he was running thru the list of current meds, i kept saying "nope, not anymore." Finally he said, "what?... not even Peptamen Jr? Is he eating by MOUTH already?" I explained the blended diet switch. Dr. Miga was nodding happily and saying, "well, clearly it's doing him GOOD. This is the best i've ever seen him in his life." And that is true. Unfortunately, Hank's oxygen saturation levels were at their lowest, but that is due to his heart, not his diet. Corrective surgery options are currently being discussed and in as soon as two weeks, may know a "Game Plan." I'm not jumping up and down about this... but i know it has to happen.
Funny story to end on: I had a bowl of my closet caps (now deemed SYRINGE caps) sitting in hot water near the kitchen sink. I went to turn the hot water on, and hit the bowl in JUST the right way that all the caps and water swiftly poured right into the drain! BROTHER! And we have a pig, which had not been turned on in a while, so i was pulling out gunks of foodstuffs along with a random cap. I think i got em all. Yuck!
A note about cleaning the caps: I do not clean them all the time. In fact, if i give Henry a feed, and refill the syringe right after i'm done, i just recap it. But if they've been sitting around, i do pour a bowl of HOT water (not boiling, though that might not be a bad idea) and a little dish soap (natural) and stir em around and let em soak. Then i drain, and take q-tips and clean each one out. It's meticulous and a little time consuming, but it assures that all residue is removed - it can HIDE in there!
......... Turns out i DID have stuff to say. I'm rarely at a loss...
Til next time....
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Monday, May 13, 2013
Mini Update
Hank got weighed the other day. No, not naked. And yes, rather quickly, at the ENT no less, but STILL:
He weighed 32.2 lbs.
[And he's a hair from an even 3 ft. tall.]
That's approximately one pound MORE than when i started feeding him a blended real food diet on the first of April!
What i guess is sorta noteworthy here, despite the informal method of weighing him, is this: Henry would go MONTHS AND MONTHS with no weight gain, or occasional loss. Now, it's one pound GAIN in one month.
Turns out Hank, at age 3, only really weighs about 8 lbs less than my healthy and vibrant and able-bodied almost-five yr old Thom.
Huh.
I'd say he's doing pretty good. Ayuh!
He weighed 32.2 lbs.
[And he's a hair from an even 3 ft. tall.]
That's approximately one pound MORE than when i started feeding him a blended real food diet on the first of April!
What i guess is sorta noteworthy here, despite the informal method of weighing him, is this: Henry would go MONTHS AND MONTHS with no weight gain, or occasional loss. Now, it's one pound GAIN in one month.
Turns out Hank, at age 3, only really weighs about 8 lbs less than my healthy and vibrant and able-bodied almost-five yr old Thom.
Huh.
I'd say he's doing pretty good. Ayuh!
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Syringe Cracks!
So of the 25 birdy syringes i ordered online, 5 of them, already, in less than a month, have bit the dust.
I need to clarify...
ONE came cracked upon arrival. In the shipment. I thought "oh, that's a bummer," but things like that happen, so i wasn't too torn up. I did keep it, and the hand-signed (!) packing slip, planning to write to the gal and request a new one. No big whoop. Wasn't RUSHING to do that.
Then, as i got them back from daycare, i noticed a crack in one about once a week. The WAY i find out is kinda funny: After i've washed them, and reinserted plunger, i go to draw up another 'dose' and it doesn't go past the crack. NOW that i know that means a crack, i get it. But when it FIRST happened, i couldn't figure out for the life of me why it wasn't drawing. It's not like the crack is that noticeable!
Then it occurred to me one day, while putting the massive FreezPaks in the insulated bag: Maybe the syringes are cracking because they are resting right next to the FreezPak and it's too cold!!
It's what i've got so far. It hasn't happened since i removed that system. Now, instead of packing two big ones, i pack one smaller one wrapped in a papertowel. The gals have said they are making room for them in their little fridge (too). Which kinda bums me out, cuz that is why i bought the insulated bag, so save room in their fridge for OTHER stuff! Oh well.
Moral of the Story (I think): Don't keep syringes cool by sticking them RIGHT NEXT TO FreezPaks. It may crack them.
I still might try to get my ONE originally-cracked syringe replaced. Hey - that's two bucks! ;-)
I need to clarify...
ONE came cracked upon arrival. In the shipment. I thought "oh, that's a bummer," but things like that happen, so i wasn't too torn up. I did keep it, and the hand-signed (!) packing slip, planning to write to the gal and request a new one. No big whoop. Wasn't RUSHING to do that.
Then, as i got them back from daycare, i noticed a crack in one about once a week. The WAY i find out is kinda funny: After i've washed them, and reinserted plunger, i go to draw up another 'dose' and it doesn't go past the crack. NOW that i know that means a crack, i get it. But when it FIRST happened, i couldn't figure out for the life of me why it wasn't drawing. It's not like the crack is that noticeable!
It's what i've got so far. It hasn't happened since i removed that system. Now, instead of packing two big ones, i pack one smaller one wrapped in a papertowel. The gals have said they are making room for them in their little fridge (too). Which kinda bums me out, cuz that is why i bought the insulated bag, so save room in their fridge for OTHER stuff! Oh well.
Moral of the Story (I think): Don't keep syringes cool by sticking them RIGHT NEXT TO FreezPaks. It may crack them.
I still might try to get my ONE originally-cracked syringe replaced. Hey - that's two bucks! ;-)
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Cow's Milk
Well, i caved. I started using cow's milk in the blends.
This is not a HORRIBLE thing. Remember, i only suspect a milk allergy, not intolerance; I've not had any sort of medical test done to prove or disprove either. Although, as i type that, i should really do a little more research. I'm only using those terms because they make sense in my head, but in having a recent conversation with a friend, there was some confusion on what i MEAN, and i had to clarify.
TO ME, i mean:
Milk Allergy: causes allergy symptoms, like stuffy nose, congestion...
Milk Intolerance: causes gastric disturbances. Gas, bloating, cramps and discomfort.
So now i'm going to look it up and do some actual research and see if i was right or at least onto something with MY terminology...
(in this area, imagine the Wayne and Garth flashback wavy screen, indicating time-lapse (oops... is this reference too dated for some of you readers?...))
Okay. So here's what i found, off the LiveStrong site (out of about 3 or 4 quick pull-ups). Click on it for full article.
So i was right!
Anyhoo - - i've added milk. Why? Well, for a few reasons. The predominant one being cost. All these other "non-milks" as i'm calling them - almond, rice, hemp - their price adds up. And for the quantity i use in a blend, i'm plowing thru. Maybe i should do further research on what options to add in the DAIRY section. Right now, i'm mostly set on milk, yogurt, and cheese (cottage and hard). I have NOT yet introduced eggs, though i think that is coming next.
Another reason, to be honest: We are already getting WIC for Thom, our 4 yr old. Hank is still eligible but has been off of it due to only eating formula, which is: 1) only covered til the age of 12 mos and 2) was being covered by our health insurance anyway. Now that Hank is eating real food, we could really use the help of BUYING said real food. And a large component of that real food is MILK. They give us almost TOO MUCH, but i'm not complaining.
Hank has been super congested for about a week now. Sans milk. Probably just a seasonal cold and/or allergies. I'm gonna see how he does. If i feel the congestion is just way outta control, i'll find another route to travel down... It's a bit of a conundrum, really. :-/ Sigh.
I think that's all i gotta say about THAT.
This is not a HORRIBLE thing. Remember, i only suspect a milk allergy, not intolerance; I've not had any sort of medical test done to prove or disprove either. Although, as i type that, i should really do a little more research. I'm only using those terms because they make sense in my head, but in having a recent conversation with a friend, there was some confusion on what i MEAN, and i had to clarify.
TO ME, i mean:
Milk Allergy: causes allergy symptoms, like stuffy nose, congestion...
Milk Intolerance: causes gastric disturbances. Gas, bloating, cramps and discomfort.
So now i'm going to look it up and do some actual research and see if i was right or at least onto something with MY terminology...
Okay. So here's what i found, off the LiveStrong site (out of about 3 or 4 quick pull-ups). Click on it for full article.
So i was right!
Anyhoo - - i've added milk. Why? Well, for a few reasons. The predominant one being cost. All these other "non-milks" as i'm calling them - almond, rice, hemp - their price adds up. And for the quantity i use in a blend, i'm plowing thru. Maybe i should do further research on what options to add in the DAIRY section. Right now, i'm mostly set on milk, yogurt, and cheese (cottage and hard). I have NOT yet introduced eggs, though i think that is coming next.
Another reason, to be honest: We are already getting WIC for Thom, our 4 yr old. Hank is still eligible but has been off of it due to only eating formula, which is: 1) only covered til the age of 12 mos and 2) was being covered by our health insurance anyway. Now that Hank is eating real food, we could really use the help of BUYING said real food. And a large component of that real food is MILK. They give us almost TOO MUCH, but i'm not complaining.
Hank has been super congested for about a week now. Sans milk. Probably just a seasonal cold and/or allergies. I'm gonna see how he does. If i feel the congestion is just way outta control, i'll find another route to travel down... It's a bit of a conundrum, really. :-/ Sigh.
I think that's all i gotta say about THAT.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Aw... Our First Bouncing Cloggy
That's officially the worst blog entry title ever. You're welcome! ;-)
So...
The Tube Clogged.
Those three words are, from what i hear, what many excited-to-blend newbie parents hear as a deterent for NOT blending a diet for their formula-fed tubie kiddo. The dreaded clogged tube. Like an explosive. The end of civilization as we know it.
I never had to personally hear those words because - well - so far, there is not a medical ANYONE that knows what i'm doing. Yet. They will. But i plan to go in there (whichever "there" it might be - there are so many with Hank) with 2+ months under my belt, with living proof that it rocks, and then any deterents they might toss my way will fizzle into dust before me.
[OOoOoooOOOhhh... With that last sentence, i'm thinking of drawing a new Super Hero, named BLENDIE, or something like that. But no cape. (watch Pixar's The Incredibles for why)]. :-)
Daycare called right after the end of his morning meal saying they were unable to get the last 20 mls in. He's been congested (which i now think is total coincidence and not related) and that he started wretching a little. I asked them, over the phone, to try a water flush. In the past, some of his blends have been thicker than others (i try to avoid that from now on) and while plunging the food was nearly impossible, a water flush was not. A good indication the tube was NOT clogged. We hung up with that game plan...
They called back to say the water would not go in either.
So, unsure of really what was happening, but detecting a clog, i left work (LOVE my easy-going, understanding Wegmans!), ran home to get 1) a new button, 2) a button syringe (5 ml) and 3) a new extension tube. Figured one of those three, or combos therein, would do the trick.
Right off the bat, i changed his tube. Brand spanking new one. Flushed some water. Easy breezy. At that point, i'm almost POSITIVE it was the extension tube (which i believe is 99% of the reasons for clogs - stuff gets snagged right at the little opening). Went to the sink and when water would not flush through the tube, i blew HARD (yes, with my disgusting bacteria ridden MOUTH - ha!) on the button end, toward the port end. I think i popped my ears a little. Sure enough, some gunk cleared (did not see a seed or an actual THING other than thick food) and was able to flush tube with water. I cleaned it real good and put it in the "stash" of Hank Supplies for if/when this happens again.
I suggested to the gals that changing the extension tube, should this happen again, be Option 2, actually. To FIRST take the syringe, with water, and do a little "plunging" back and forth action. I likened it to plunging a toilet clog. Same notion. Dislodge the clog with muscle.
I wasn't at all worried about this clog. It's our first since starting all this 1+ month ago, and was a completely harmless one. I am fortunate in that Hank has a BUTTON, which can come out. And our extension tube COMES OUT. I realize the PEG system is not as easy, and what is a simple clog to me might not be so simple for those folks. :-/ And the whole G-J tube thing... might even be worse. I'm SO SO GLAD that Hank got rid of that G-J tube eons ago. I hated it the minute i saw it.
So that is that. Another obstacle arisen and knocked down. No big whoop.
So...
The Tube Clogged.
Those three words are, from what i hear, what many excited-to-blend newbie parents hear as a deterent for NOT blending a diet for their formula-fed tubie kiddo. The dreaded clogged tube. Like an explosive. The end of civilization as we know it.
I never had to personally hear those words because - well - so far, there is not a medical ANYONE that knows what i'm doing. Yet. They will. But i plan to go in there (whichever "there" it might be - there are so many with Hank) with 2+ months under my belt, with living proof that it rocks, and then any deterents they might toss my way will fizzle into dust before me.
Daycare called right after the end of his morning meal saying they were unable to get the last 20 mls in. He's been congested (which i now think is total coincidence and not related) and that he started wretching a little. I asked them, over the phone, to try a water flush. In the past, some of his blends have been thicker than others (i try to avoid that from now on) and while plunging the food was nearly impossible, a water flush was not. A good indication the tube was NOT clogged. We hung up with that game plan...
They called back to say the water would not go in either.
So, unsure of really what was happening, but detecting a clog, i left work (LOVE my easy-going, understanding Wegmans!), ran home to get 1) a new button, 2) a button syringe (5 ml) and 3) a new extension tube. Figured one of those three, or combos therein, would do the trick.
Right off the bat, i changed his tube. Brand spanking new one. Flushed some water. Easy breezy. At that point, i'm almost POSITIVE it was the extension tube (which i believe is 99% of the reasons for clogs - stuff gets snagged right at the little opening). Went to the sink and when water would not flush through the tube, i blew HARD (yes, with my disgusting bacteria ridden MOUTH - ha!) on the button end, toward the port end. I think i popped my ears a little. Sure enough, some gunk cleared (did not see a seed or an actual THING other than thick food) and was able to flush tube with water. I cleaned it real good and put it in the "stash" of Hank Supplies for if/when this happens again.
I suggested to the gals that changing the extension tube, should this happen again, be Option 2, actually. To FIRST take the syringe, with water, and do a little "plunging" back and forth action. I likened it to plunging a toilet clog. Same notion. Dislodge the clog with muscle.
I wasn't at all worried about this clog. It's our first since starting all this 1+ month ago, and was a completely harmless one. I am fortunate in that Hank has a BUTTON, which can come out. And our extension tube COMES OUT. I realize the PEG system is not as easy, and what is a simple clog to me might not be so simple for those folks. :-/ And the whole G-J tube thing... might even be worse. I'm SO SO GLAD that Hank got rid of that G-J tube eons ago. I hated it the minute i saw it.
So that is that. Another obstacle arisen and knocked down. No big whoop.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Pop a CAP on Yo Syringe!
MY CLOSET ORGANIZER CAPS CAME,
MY CLOSET ORGANIZER CAPS CAME!!
I'm willing to bet i'm the only one ever to utter those words so excitedly! I even peeked in the little bag and talked to them gently, telling them they are loved in their new home. Ha!
Soon, i will do a comprehensive post with a ton of pics, from Start to Finish. Maybe even a video or two! That'll be fun to do!
MY CLOSET ORGANIZER CAPS CAME!!
I'm willing to bet i'm the only one ever to utter those words so excitedly! I even peeked in the little bag and talked to them gently, telling them they are loved in their new home. Ha!
Soon, i will do a comprehensive post with a ton of pics, from Start to Finish. Maybe even a video or two! That'll be fun to do!
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