It's About Time!

Howdy Gentle Readers,

I apologize for the delay in my postings. I have been a super busy toddler! Life is grand without my NG tube and my tummy tube is great. I am also experimenting with more solid foods. Here's a list of some of the newest things I have tried and my rating.

• Hot dogs - Yummy
• Chicken Patty - So-so
• Fish sticks - Yummy
• Tortilla with a little bit of refried beans spread on it - Yummy

I am going in for a weight and length check this week and then mommy calls the nutritionist to see how I am doing. If I am doing well, then we will increase my solid food intake by an ounce (and decrease my liquid by an ounce). Keep your fingers crossed that I am doing well. I will also likely get my flu shot this weekend.

As I mentioned, my tummy tube is great. Some of you have asked what it looks like, how it works, etc. I have decided to post a picture so you can see. It's not gross, by any means, but I understand if you don't want to look. This is the head's up so that you don't scroll any further, if you don't want to. But if you do want to, by all means do. The picture is an extreme close up. You can see that the tube sits above and to the slight left of my belly button. This allows the food to go directly into my tummy.

The part next to the yellow dot opens to the right and then an extender tube is snapped in and that's how my liquids are fed to me. It's pretty simple actually. This picture was taken about a week after the procedure. I had my follow up with Dr. N. and he said that all looks good. PHEW!

Because I don't have all the tape associated with it like I did my NG tube, it really is out of sight out of mind. Of course every now and then I like to check it out.

Dr. N said it's really hard to remove it, which makes everyone really happy. It was a little different at first, but now it's no big deal. Next step is to see how I do at my next swallow test which mommy is working to get scheduled. More to come real soon - I promise!

Emerson