HOME AT LAST!!

Well, we have been home for about 20 minutes. Andrew was so excited when Daddy put him on the floor to play! He has been going non-stop, laughing and squealing!

After talking for quite a while with the dr about what we need to do with him, we have decided (with the dr) that we are going to change his diet (at least temporarily). While we were in the hospital he was put on a lactose free formula. He did not have reflux one time while we were there. I asked about whether that could be a sign that he is lactose intolerant. She said she does not think he is lactose intolerant because he does not ALWAYS have diarrhea, which he would if he was intolerant. She said it is possible that he could have a milk allergy though. She started naming some symptoms of milk allergy and he had several of them.

So, we are going to just try some different things. We are going to transition him to the lactose free stuff we were using at the hospital. We are curious if maybe his reflux was not as bad there because of the fact that he was getting about an ounce an hour instead of 8 ounces in minutes. Because he does not do well actually drinking a bottle that is not what he is used to, we will transition him over the next week to get him used to the different taste.

This will be a difficult experiment. Trying to avoid milk is much harder than avoiding yogurt, cheese, milk, ice cream, etc. It will mean reading labels on EVERYTHING. Milk is even used as a filler in things like hot dogs. IF this takes care of his reflux issues, it will be worth it though.

He has had one bottle orally today (it has all been through the feeding tube up to then). So far he has not had any problems and the dr does not think he will. She did however send me home with her phone number - but asked that I did not call between 7 and 9 tonight because she would be at the symphony (unless it is life or death of course). She set up for us to talk with a nutritionist before we left to discuss what changes we would need to make and she also got us some formula to take home to try out. The formula is prescription only so I have to call her office and get set up with a formula distribution company (and make sure insurance will pay for the formula).

Now that we have him getting well again, we will be working actively to get to the bottom of his issues. We are not going to wait until he is a year old like we had previously planned (to see if he would outgrow the reflux). We are on the same page with the dr and will be working closely with her to get him straightened out so this does not happen every time he gets sick and he does not lose anymore weight!