Weight check = 5 lbs. 13.5 ozs.
First a quick quiz: what is missing from Lilly in the picture?
If you said the NG tube then you're right! Only it's not what you think. This was "change the NG tube day" and I took the picture of Lilly in the blissful hour between insertion of the new tube into her nose.
Last week I managed to put in the new tube on the first try and all was good. I don't know what happened this week, but I had trouble. (I'm wondering if all of Lilly's congestion had anything to do with it.) On my first try she started gagging so much I pulled it back out. (She always gags some when it goes down her throat but this seemed like more than usual.) On the second try Lilly choked hard and started turning blue. That scared me so much I decided that we needed a break. So we went for a nice walk.
"Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; . . ." Psalm 55:22
About an hour later on the third try, the tube went in her nose but came out her mouth! Finally, on the fourth try, it seemed to go in perfectly and she fussed very little. But when I tried the pH test, I didn't get a great result. (You have to pull stomach acid out through the tube with a syringe and then squirt it on a pH paper. Then match the results against a chart. I got a "6." That's not horrible, but much lower is much better. But I was afraid to mess with the tube again. So I tried the "old" testing method - using the syringe push a puff of air into her tummy, while listening for the "whoosh" with a stethoscope. I heard it. And the tube measured the exact same as the one I had in before. My husband figured that since we did get stomach acid out then of course the tube must be in the stomach.
Thankfully Lilly seems perfectly comfortable so I think everything is fine. But I am longing for the day when the NG tube is no longer a part of our lives!
i can only imagine the amount of patience required for this task!!!! you're doing a great job:) i love the picture:)
ReplyDeleteI am so not a nurse. It pains me to even read about what you have to do. God give you strength!! xxoo
ReplyDeleteYou are wonder woman for sure. I was panicking just reading this. It wouldn't have occurred to me to go for a walk to calm the situation down. I'd have called 911 and everybody in the phone book to come help! The picture of Lilly is as sweet as ever. Hang in there. You are a terrific mom. God bless you and the rest of the family! Still praying that the cold passes soon.
ReplyDeleteyou did great, daughter! it was probably a good thing i left when i did yesterday, or i would have done exactly what mallorie's mom said. thankful she has continued to gain weight even with that cold.
ReplyDeleteThe Lord gave you a big task which you work out perfectly. You got little Lilly because He has fait in you. Don't you ever doubt that you are a great mother no matter if Lilly stays with you just for a short time or a long one (i hope a very long time of course). You do everything you can and every child would be very very happy and blessed with you as a parent.
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