Trial by Fire

Day 110

Weight: 4 lbs 15 oz

We didn't end up going back to Milestone B after all. Dr. Arrington decided to do something a little different. He put in an order this morning for Samuel's feeding tube to be taken out - and for all of his feeds to be taken by bottle. He was thinking that the feeding tube may be rubbing the back of Samuel's throat. They continue to use just my milk with Simply Thick...no other additives. So far, Samuel has taken his bottle much better than he did yesterday. I don't know if this is a permanent solution to the problem because the additives were providing extra calories to help Samuel grow. Bottle feeding also burns more calories than tube feeding. Dr. Arrington will be watching Samuel's weight closely. If Samuel continues to take most or all of his bottles, they may not replace the feeding tube at all.....meaning that Samuel would have skipped several steps.
There hasn't been any talk of putting him back on diuretics. His urine output has picked up some today (thankfully) and his breathing is still normal.
Samuel was getting an inhaler called Flovent (it was supposed to help open his airways like an asthma inhaler.) He has been taking it twice a day ever since he came off the ventilator sixty days ago. Today it was discontinued.
On a different note....my little boy is so smart! Yesterday afternoon Samuel was quite awake. Carolyn picked him up and was talking to him like usual. She was showing him her tounge - sticking it out at him and moving it around. Samuel copied her! It was too funny. It wasn't coincidence because she did it several times with him. He has also gained some control over his head. I will put him on my shoulder and talk to him - he turns and pulls back his head so that he can see my face. Granted, he looses control of it after a minute, but I'm amazed that he is doing so well for just now being term. He is tracking movement more each day.