Hi girls,
Just popping in quickly to let you know Gussy's operation was a success. He now has a gastrostomy button so this means he no longer needs a nasogastric tube for feeding. It's the first time we've seen his beautiful little face without a tube and tape covering his cheek in almost 18months! So exciting.
The gastrostomy button is halfway between Gus's belly button and his left nipple. The gastrostomy button was inserted via an opening in Gusy's tummy skin and muscles into his stomach. Then via other laproscopic incisions near his belly button the surgeon positioned the bottom (balloon part) of the button by pulling it through to the inside of Gussy's stomach then stitching it into place. So now on his tummy at skin level Gus has a flat, flexible disc with a one way valve in it to allow milk into his tummy, but hopefully nothing will be able to leak out of his tummy. It's held in place with a water filled balloon on the inside the stomach. Unless the tube comes out accidentally it should last him about 6 months before he needs to have it replaced. When we feed him via the button we attach a long tube to the button and then a syringe to the tube. It's all very clever really. It seems to be quite a painful process at the moment however that will change once the incision around the button heals over.
It's been a tough few days in hospital but we're home now. He's going really well considering, although is still in quite a bit of pain so is not completely himself yet. Poor little tike has an infection in one of the incision sites, so is quite fevery and very pussy and red. Blahhh, but that will pass. The best thing of all however is that he's starting to show some interest in eating proper food with his mouth! Must be so much nicer swallowing now the nasogastric tube isn't in his nose and dangling down the back of his throat into his oesophagus and stomach. Hopefully this will be the start of something big and we can get rid of all tube feeding at some stage in the next year or so. I am soooo not looking forward to having to BF DS2 once he's born as well as tube feed Gussy every three hours 24/7. Bring on the eating!
Our beautiful nanny dressed up as a lion and came to visit Gussy in hospital. Was so funny. She didn't want him to know it was her so would be there in her normal clothes then would say goodbye, only to reappear as a lion. On the first visit she came bearing one of the Thomas the Tank Engine trains that Gussy has been desperate for. It's "Arthur" train. (Is anyone else as obsessed as Gussy with Thomas?) The whole time the lion was there he kept saying, "Wow how did you know? That was a very clever lion to know I needed Arthur." He ha about him saying he "needed it" as opposed to "wanted it". Toddlers! Then the last day she visited as the lion she brought him a scooter. Hugely generous of her. He has been busting for a scooter since Christmas when his older cousins were all hooning about on them. He's still a bit sore to really give it a good go, but is still up to small bursts of scooting. I've got some pics of it up on Gussy's website if you'd like to take a peak. The link is Totsites.com - Share your children with friends and family and password is monkey.
Bub in tum is growing well. Had another scare last week. I bled really heavily for the week with clots etc. Sorry TMI. Was probably cause I couldn't keep up the strict bed couch rest orders while I was tending to Gussy during our time in hospital and probably the stress/exhaustion of it all. Will have to be much more vigilant now we're home. It was at this part of my pregnancy with Gussy that my waters broke and I ended up in hospital. Fingers and toes crossed that cruel twist of fate doesn't repeat itself!
Big hugs to all. Will pop in again later in the week when it's not so late and I'm not so tired. Had nooooooo sleep during our stay in hospital. Off to bed now.
I just noticed I have a new avatar picture. How cool. xx
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