Here's a picture of Lilly with her brand new Vitamix mixer. This is the "mother of all mixers." It can even liquify chicken! I got it because mouth feeding is still going so terribly slow with Lilly and I want to start getting some bigger quantities of real food into her belly. Right now she is still getting fed breastmilk with her supplements added in. (StemKine and VitAloe.) But since she's 13.5 months old now she needs more nutritionally I think. I really don't want to go with man made formulas, especially since formula tended to upset her stomach so badly when we were adding it in when she was younger.
So I've been researching real foods and g-tubes. The one thing everyone said is you gotta have a really good blender, like the Vitamix and that my KitchenAid wasn't going to cut it. I'm excited about this process. I have a need in me to make my children's food and that includes Lilly, even if she does mainly eat through her g-tube.
Anyone that knows anything about a Vitamix knows they are crazy expensive. However, in my research online I found that they have a "medical necessity program" where qualified people can get a nice discount on one. I got a refurbished one which made the price even lower.
[If you're someone that would like to do this here's the proceedure: have your doctor fax Vitamix a note on letterhead saying why your child (or you!) needs a Vitamix (feeding by g-tube is the reason we gave). Have them put your name and phone number in that note. Have the doctor fax to "Sue" at Vitamix (440) 235-3726. When she get's it she will contact you and you can purchase the blender by phone.]
Speaking of g-tubes, yesterday was an absolutely crazy g-tube day for Lilly. Her g-tube button got pulled out of her not once, but twice! It was horrible but at least I knew how to put it back in and the procedure was so much easier for both of us as compared to when I used to have to put the NG tube up her nose. Then in the evening, she was napping and the milk pump tubing came out of the g-tube extension and milk was everywhere before we realized. Guess she was pulling Cleopatra bathing in milk again. Thankfully today is going smoothly with the g-tube!
"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:31
Glad you found a good deal on the Vitamixer. Love her in my dress!!
ReplyDeleteI just can't imagine the g-tube pulling out.... I think I would freak. So glad you are a calm person and able to handle such things. xxoo
ReplyDeleteWe have a Vitamix, and I've been wanting to start Lily on a blenderized diet, too. I'd love to swap "notes" about this. Before I start, there's a book I'm wanting to read, just to make sure I'm doing it to Lily's benefit. I just want to make sure it's done right since Lily has been on formula for so long. Don't want to shock her system! I'm willing to share all I learn, though! Jill
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info...we'll contact them as well. Our g-tube pulled out once by my doing...normally I am very calm, but I got all nervous because I caused it. It is pretty simple to fix.
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