June 29th - Going Down the Shore

Well, tomorrow, at approximately 3 PM, we'll be driving the jam-packed minivan down the AC expressway and heading "down the shore". (It'll be more like 4:30 by the time we actually pull out of the driveway, but whatever.) Staying for the whole week at this lovely house my in-laws rented on 4th, about 5 houses from the beach.
I'm excited about beaching it for a week. I'm also more than a little nervous about doing it with a 7 month-old and all the rigors, worries, and paraphernalia that a 7 month-old brings along. But I bought a really nice beach chair, and I'm going to attempt to set at least the worries aside and have a good time. I know it's crazy worrying about a vacation...but let's lay it on the line (it'll make me feel better and get me organized, so you'll just have to deal with my neurotic, worry-wart ways):

• Maddie's eating better, but it's still 'interesting' sometimes. Still refusing to take bottles sometimes, although that's getting better and better. Still not all that into solids - except blueberry applesauce; practically licked a big jar clean today. And today was the first day in a while that she hasn't projectile vomited all over. She did take 23 ounces today, mostly willingly. :-) And 4 oz. of blueberry applesauce. :-)
  
• We're sharing a room with her for the first time since she was 2 weeks old. We'll put her to bed and not really be able to go back in there till we're ready for bed and then we'll have to be REALLY quiet - and Bob snores like the dickens. This is going to be interesting. I predict lots of static, right by her sweet little head, to keep her asleep. Nick (Bob's brother) and Sean (Bob's sister's boyfriend), who were supposed to be sharing the 3rd bedroom in the house, aren't going to be there every night - so we may get to put Maddie in there some nights. She's been having a lot of night wakings lately because of the reflux and her empty tummy, but we'll hopefully get rid of those soon.
  
• We have to take an insane amount of stuff. I mean CRAZY piles of gear here. It's going to take some creative packing to get it into the van. Tons of stuff. Mounds. You have no idea how much junk it takes just to take care of a baby for a week. Unless you have one. In which case, you do know, and it's all over your house too. And then there's all the beach stuff. And clothes. I must somehow not forget to pack clothes.
  
• It's 12:30ish and I really want to go to bed. Lord knows how long Maddie will stay asleep.
  
• My mom says that going on vacation with a kid isn't a "vacation" at all. I'm hoping that Maddie's doting grandparents might take some of that burden off of us from time to time. While I do hope that they consult with Bob or I before the give her ice cream or put her on a ride at Wonderland Pier, I'm hoping they'll get their fill of babying, and get some nice flashbacks from Bob, Nick, and Laura's babyhood. My mom is also coming down a day or two, so she can stop complaining that she hasn't been to the beach in years because there's nobody to go with. She'll like playing in the sand with the girl, I'm sure. And hopefully Bob and I will get some baby-worry-free reconnection time. Because with school, house, life, and a baby you spend triple the usual time just trying to get to eat, time for your hubby gets put waaaay back on the back burner. And I need a little hubby time.
  

Yet Another Burning Question, Finally Answered

Your Inner European is Swedish!

Relaxed and peaceful. You like to kick back and enjoy life.

Who's Your Inner European?

June 19th - The questions we've all been debating...

You Are a Pinky

You are fiercely independent, and possibly downright weird. A great communicator, you can get along with almost anyone. You are kind and sympathetic. You support all your friends - and love them for who they are. You get along well with: The Ring Finger Stay away from: The Thumb

What Finger Are You?

Your Life Is Worth...

$586,000

How Much Is Your Life Worth?

You Are Krusty the Clown

You were the class clown as a kid, and you still entertain people. From faking your own death to getting a wacky boob job, you'll do anything for a laugh. You will be remembered for: your face being everywhere, from cereal to home pregnancy tests Your life philosophy: "I heartily endorse this event or product."

The Simpsons Personality Test

Your Political Profile:

Overall: 15% Conservative, 85% Liberal Social Issues: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal Personal Responsibility: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal Fiscal Issues: 0% Conservative, 100% Liberal Ethics: 0% Conservative, 100% Liberal Defense and Crime: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal

How Liberal Or Conservative Are You?

Your Career Type: Social

You are helpful, friendly, and trustworthy. Your talents lie in teaching, nursing, giving information, and solving social problems. You would make an excellent: Counselor - Dental Hygienist - Librarian Nurse - Parole Officer - Personal Trainer Physical Therapist - Social Worker - Teacher The worst career options for your are realistic careers, like truck driver or farmer.

What's Your Ideal Career?

What Your Favorite Color Blue Says About You:

Emotional --- Affected --- Sensitive Peaceful --- Tranquil --- Connected Spiritual --- Experimental --- Deep

What Does Your Favorite Color Say About You?

You Are Ernie

Playful and childlike, you are everyone's favorite friend - even if your goofy antics get annoying at times. You are usually feeling: Amused - you are very easily entertained You are famous for: Always making people smile. From your silly songs to your wild pranks, you keep things fun. How you life your life: With ease. Life is only difficult when your friends won't play with you!

The Sesame Street Personality Quiz

June 16th - Things I've Learned

Things I've Learned Today:

• I know nothing about babies, especially the sick kind.
• I suck at housework.
• Pedialyte looks good but tastes like ass.
• My bra size isn't what it used to be. It's bigger.
• You don't miss having cable when you don't have time to miss having cable.
• It's easier not to get cut off when you're towering above everybody else in a minivan.
• NPR isn't nearly as boring as it used to be.
• Creanies makes a mean chocolate milkshake.
• Chili cheeseburgers are theraputic.
• So is blogging.

June 5th - Results!

Maddie seems to have an aversion to things associated w/ eating (holding position, bottle, even the chair in her room where we usually fed her before). Will this go away on its own when her tummy feels better or will we have to ‘fix’ it?
Yes, she has an eating aversion (she's learned that it hurts to eat, so she doesn't want to. This will most likely go away when she finds that it doesn't hurt anymore (due to the changes we're making).


Should we give up on bottles and concentrate on sippy cups?
She's really young to be drinking exclusively from sippy cups. Give it a while and with the new meds and cereal in her bottles - give the bottles time.

Is her tight-sounding coughing and occasional congestion related to the reflux, or is it another issue?
Yes, and they're concerned about that cough, because it signals a worse form a relfux, and esophagus scarring. It should go away, but if it doesn't they'll look at her throat with an endoscopy.

Does formula make a difference in reflux? (no known allergies, currently trying Enfamil Gentlease equivalent)
Nope, formula really doesn't matter. Stay on the Gentlease equivalent for now, just for the sake of not changing two things at once.

Would you recommend any testing? pH Probe? (smell coming from her mouth, we think it’s acidy smelling)
That is most likely stomach acid. Yes, ouch. We'll look at it closer on the upper GI that she'll have shortly.

If so, what would that test entail?
She will drink a barium drink and they'll x-ray her as it passes into her system, looking for the path it takes and the shape of her body, making sure it's all shaped right and how much she's refluxing up.

How many ounces of formula a day do you recommend as the minimum for good growth of an active infant?
25, for hydration and to have her gain weight (still hasn't gained, since April).

To what end do we go to get there? (Force feeding really necessary?)
Don't force feed her. Her intake should improve as we change her meds and make her feel better. Try cereal, be persistent, but don't worry if she won't eat, just try again later.

How much cereal is ok in one day, understanding that we’re only giving her as much as we are to get ounces in her?
Bring on the cereal. The only reason they're concerned about cereal intake is it can cause constipation (not a problem here!) and it can cause babies go gain too much weight because of empty calories (again, clearly not a problem!)

We understand that solids are only for practice at this point, but since she takes them like a pro, will they count towards her nutritional needs?
Bring 'em on. They also add water, which she needs. All those fruits and veggies are nothing but themselves, and water.

Are the doses she’s on of Zantac (1.2 ml twice daily) and Prevacid (7.5 mg once daily) good?
Nope, we're increasing them, and she' s going to get the Prevacid morning and night now. Should help with the evening feedings.

Who will change them as she improves or grows? (You or regular pediatrician?)
CHOP will. (Good. I think my pediatrician is taking this whole baby-won't-eat thing a little too lightly. And mommies don't take that kind of thing lightly.)

Prevacid: are we doing it right? (½ of the little orange bubbles?)
Doesn't matter now, because we will split the pill and dissolve half at dinner and half the next morning, so either way she'll get the full dose in 24 hours.

What timing do you recommend for her medications?
Same as before. Before breakfast and before dinner.

When should she stop taking the Zantac (or should she stop at all?)
She will stop, but not yet.

Can we give her Mylanta if she seems particularly bad?
Yep, if she seems bad, like she's having trouble eating, give her 1-2 ml.

When should we see improvement (Normal = she’ll eat willingly and eat a normal amount for a 6 month old)?
She should eat better in 3-4 days, definitely see a difference by a week.

If things don't improve, what should we do? (Follow up appointment?)
Call in 2 weeks no matter what, earlier if she gets worse.

...I actually felt like they listened to me. I also felt like they'd seen this before, (as opposed to my current pediatrician, who seems nice but had this "Oh! I can't imagine why she won't eat!" mentality). We saw 2 different doctors, and between the two of them we were with a doctor for over an hour. THAT, my friends, is a doctor appointment.

Of course I came home and had an hour an a half to convince my whiney, hungry, sleepy child to actually give in, eat, and sleep. She ate, she didn't sleep. Actually, she took a whole 4 oz. ...wow! Almost called Bob, I was so surprised! But I had such a short time because the handbell choir BBQ was at hour house, at 5:30. Yeah, cause I was sooo ready for that. Hadn't even thought of it, with all this CHOP stuff. So I parked my precious child, the light of my life, in front of a Baby Mozart DVD, and speed-cleaned the house. PS, worked like a charm!

Party went well, and in the middle of it Maddie took another 4 oz. straight. WOW. She also slept through most of it and as a result kept her dear father up half the night.

And then this morning in the shower I remember that it's field day today, and the activity I did with the whole school didn't fly with 1st and 2nd, and I had made a mental post-it to come up with something else to do. And that post-it apparently didn't re-stick itself until 6:15 AM today. Figured that out, then remembered that I was supposed to have the whole school sing a song as part of the opening ceremony today. "You're a Grand Old Flag", right before the pledge. It's Flag Day soon, right? I typed up lyrics, printed, and planned to run copies at school.

Field day went off pretty well. I got a little sunburned, because I prioritized having everything set up by the listed starting time of 9AM over putting on sunscreen. Good example for the kids, I am. What's great is that my station went beautifully, both primary and intermediate grades, 4 & 5th especially dug it.

And PTA approved my stereo purchase, and I get to go buy it. Now, because they want it for the "Sue Send-Off". On Monday. Oh, and you're having the whole song sing a goodbye tribute song for that, right Mrs. D? WHWWHWHWHSJfkofhaiofhfhfhjdshfoksahdfjk afsfsdfj saf swhatthehell? Yeah. So help me, I'm going to publish a calendar and you'll have to write in the events for which you would like Mrs. D. to prepare the entire school to sing for on the first day of school, and that. will. be. it. But the PTA is buying me a new stereo. So they get their goodbye tribute song.

And we had this whole mess with me accidentally waiving prescription coverage for myself and Maddie because I thought Bob took it for us and he didn't, so I had to again call and lay prostrate to the bitch who runs our benefits off. She left me a frosty voice mail telling me there was nothing she could do, but I could try talking to her boss, but she didn't have is phone extension so I'd have to look it up myself. Mmm-kay, you don't know your boss's phone extension number? The boss who's in the room next to you? Riiiiight, bee-atch.

I called and emailed and begged, and then didn't have to anyway, because Bob's school had to re-do their insurance system and everybody has to re-enroll anyway.

I'm barely holding it together at school, I'm so scattered with Maddie-worries, but it's all good. 12 days left. I just need to keep up the appearance that I'm competent and care what I'm doing for a little while longer. We're doing pretty well, actually. By chance, and a friend's help, we get an appointment with good doctors. BBQ goes off beautifully with absolutely no planning on our part. Field day actually worked out. By an insurance company fluke, we have prescription coverage afterall. And Maddie took 5 oz. in one sitting this afternoon. Again, somebody up there is looking out for us.

June 4th - Mammas Don't Mess Around

So Friday I teach 5th grade, walk them down because their teacher is in a meeting and is running late, and then I stroll down to the art room to chat it up with my friend Stacey. Stace is the one who has 14 month old twins, and she's always good for some child-related sympathy and advice. Cause Maddie's shown no improvement, and on Thursday I up and decided that we were seeing a Pediatric Gastro (tummy dr.), darn it. And the earliest appointment I could get anywhere was July 19th. Wah.

Stacey's not there, but her sub, Kathy, who I'm friendly with, is. We talk for a while, school, summer, the kids, and she mentions that her daughter just had surgery at CHOP (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia - top kid's hospital in the nation and a place I'd LOVE to get Maddie into...except their scheduling department never even called me back. That place is impossible to get into.) I mention this annoying fact, and that we're now waiting till July 19th for another practice's Pedi GI, and her eyes light up.

Out comes her cell and she calls her hubby - the manager of nurses at CHOP! A few phone calls, and a few hours later, and we have an appointment with one of the top Pediatric Gastro's in the country - for TODAY. Kathy & hubby will be getting a gift from us ASAP. This is a big, big, favor, and I'm beyond grateful.

SO needless to say I called in sick today, and we've got a 12:15. I spent the weekend typing up her feeding & medical history, a record of how and what she's eaten for the last 5 days, and a big list of things to ask the doctor. Let's play 20 questions, doc. I'm going to be that doctor's worst nightmare.

Tonight is our handbell BBQ...such lovely weather, THANKS, tropical depression Barry.
And I'll keep all posted about her appointment. I want SOMETHING to change. Or some advice to make things better. Here are my questions:

1. Maddie seems to have an aversion to things associated w/ eating (holding position, bottle, even the chair in her room where we usually fed her before). Will this go away on its own when her tummy feels better or will we have to ‘fix’ it?

2. If so, how?

3. Should we give up on bottles and concentrate on sippy cups?

4. If so, do you know which one is easiest to learn to suck on?

5. Is her tight-sounding coughing and occasional congestion related to the reflux, or is it another issue?

6. Does formula make a difference in reflux? (no known allergies, currently trying Enfamil Gentlease equivalent)

7. If so, what formula do you recommend she be on, and for how long?

8. Would you recommend any testing? pH Probe? (smell coming from her mouth, we think it’s acidy smelling)

9. If so, what would that test entail?

10. How many ounces of formula a day do you recommend as the minimum for good growth of an active infant?

11. To what end do we go to get there? (Force feeding really necessary?)

12. How much cereal is ok in one day, understanding that we’re only giving her as much as we are to get ounces in her?

13. We understand that solids are only for practice at this point, but since she takes them like a pro, will they count towards her nutritional needs?

14. Are the doses she’s on of Zantac (1.2 mltwice daily) and Prevacid (7.5 mg once daily) good?

15. Who will change them as she improves or grows? (You or regular pediatrician?)

16. Prevacid: are we doing it right? (½ of the little orange bubbles?)

17. What timing do you recommend for her medications?

18. When should she stop taking the Zantac (or should she stop at all?)

19. Can we give her Mylanta if she seems particularly bad?

20. When should we see improvement (Normal = she’ll eat willingly and eat a normal amount for a 6 month old)?

21. If things don't improve, what should we do? (Follow up appointment?)

oops, 21 questions. Sorry, doc.

Wishin' and hopin' and prayin' for a good appointment and a major improvement ASAP...no, I'm not impatient, we've been doing this for months. Enough is enough.
Mammas don't mess around when their babies are hurting.