| Later updates | Aaron update 126 |
| Subject: Aaron update 126 Date: Thursday, September 11, 2003 11:10 AM From: Kevin Quick To: Aaron Update List Well, it’s now been about a month since we began weighing Aaron regularly. When we began, he weighed 11.25 pounds, and today he still weighs 11.25 pounds. This wouldn’t be so much of a concern if we weren’t already quite a ways below the bottom (3rd percentile) of the growth chart. Now, though, unfortunately, we seem to be falling even further behind. The pulmonologist and nutritionist want Aaron to eat 27 ounces of 27-calorie-per-ounce formula per day, which should result in his gaining about 2 pounds per month. However, he only wants (and can only comfortably eat) 10 to 16 ounces per day. If we stuff him with more than this, he throws it up. He sometimes refuses the bottle now, because we’re often thrusting it upon him when he’s not hungry. We’ve tried scheduled feedings, on-demand feedings and nighttime feedings, but regardless of what we do, Aaron seems to only want to eat his 10 to 16 ounces per day. At the request of the doctors in San Francisco, Kathleen brought Aaron to our local pediatrician yesterday for a baseline check. Now and for the foreseeable future, Aaron will be visiting our local pediatrician every week. Then, in mid-October, we’ll be visiting the specialists in San Francisco again. Kathleen and I are a little anxious that if Aaron isn’t eating well and gaining weight by then, that the doctors will recommend some more drastic measures, like putting him back on oxygen, installing a g-tube in his abdomen, etc. Of course, our preference is that Aaron start eating well and growing on his own, without any invasive procedures. If you would, please pray with us that Aaron starts eating more and growing. We’d love to report in our next update that Aaron has miraculously developed a voracious appetite, and that he’s gained a pound or two! In every other way, Aaron is doing great. When on his tummy, he holds his head way up for long periods of time, and he rolls all over the place. He hasn’t quite learned yet that it hurts when you roll over too quickly and clunk your head on things, so we have to comfort him for this once in a while. Most of the time, though, he’s bright-eyed, inquisitive, and very interested in anything that’s new. Now, if we could just get the little guy to put on a few pounds... Love, Kevin, Kathleen and Aaron |
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