Update on Will

Yesterday Will had his last Dr. appointments with his Peds Surgeon and Peds GI doctor. We were hoping at his GI appointment we would get the green light to remove his feeding tube. For the past month we have been weaning him off the tube where we would only use the tube feeds once a day (compared to 7+ times in a day). Will has done really well with his feedings. He is mostly being nursed. Two weeks ago we went completely sans-tube to see how he would do. At his appointment the GI doctor was very pleased with his weight gain. He is 14 lbs 5 oz and is 25 1/4" long! That puts him in the 25th percentile for weight and 50th for height! From where he started this is very impressive to his doctors! They are use to not even seeing their patients on the growth chart. We also got the go ahead to introduce solid foods! With all the good news we were hoping to hear that we could take out the feeding button in his belly. But the GI doctor's personal recommendation is to wait 6 months AFTER the last tube feed. Yikes! That puts him at 1 yr of age before he could have it removed. This was a little disappointing to hear. But at our next appt that morning with his surgeon, this doctor would be just fine with removing the button. This just goes to show the different opinions of docs. :) Since the GI doctor is the primary physician with the tube feeds we didn't feel comfortable removing it quite yet. (Our surgeon kept asking us if we wanted to) The reasons why the GI doc likes to keep the button in that long is to make sure babies transition well to solid foods and also to make sure they can tolerate being sick and recuperating without the need of the feeding tube. Our surgeon agreed that if it was the Fall months he would recommend we keep the button in past the winter months. But since Spring and Summer are here he didn't see any concern.

Hubby and I agree that 2 weeks might be too soon to remove the tube, but we feel 6 months is a little much. We agree that we should wait to see how Will tolerates solid foods but feel since we are entering the Summer months that by mid June we could remove the button. Plus we are moving in a month and will have a new GI and Surgeon Doc. Their opinions might be different than our GI doc right now. Our surgeon also explained how simple removing the button would be. The button is kept in place by a balloon full of water in Will's stomach. We would deflate this balloon and pull out the button. There would be a small hole (the size of a pencil eraser) and we would place gauze over this for a few weeks. The sight should scar and heal on it's own after 4 weeks; if not, then they would do a small procedure to stitch up the stomach and incision area.

So we aren't too disappointed by the news. We are very proud of Will and his progress. And thank everyone for thinking of us and continuing the prayers.