Poor Baby

On Friday of last week I noticed some redness around Kiya's g-tube. I chalked it up to her being held by several different people on that day. By Saturday the redness was still present and at 9pm I noticed some puss coming from the stoma. Matt was out of town so we loaded up the family wagon and went on an adventure to the ER at Utah Valley Medical Center. The doctor had a look and confirmed what I was thinking. The g-tube site was infected. He did an ultrasound to make sure that no excess liquid was forming in her stomach, or around the g-tube stoma. He didn't see anything concerning. Lex was such a good boy and did his best not to ask the doctor too many medical questions that no six year old should even know about. Mason started out like a champ, but ended with the usual tampering of medical equipment. In truth they were both really good. We left the hospital at 12pm with a prescription for an antibiotic (I hate antibiotics by the way). I thought Walgreens was open 24 hours so I drove back to American Fork to get my prescription. Of coarse they weren't open so I drove to Orem. That location was not open either so I arrive at home at 1pm with children still awake and no antibiotic. Luckily Kiyas g-tube site is looking great. i am forcing myself to give her the antibiotics and we will take her to the pediatrician tomorrow to check it all out. I feel so lucky that this is our first time back to the hospital since the g-tube surgery.

Here is my top 10 list for why I hate Kiyas a g-tube

1. Most kids can tell you when their full, but if Kiya is too full and we keep feeding her she will get sick

2. If she gets sick you can count on double the vomiting

3. Apparently the tube can become infected

4. If the power goes out I cannot feed my baby- this one really scares me

5. I have to haul a backpack of food everywhere I go and the tubing gets caught on everything

6. If the connection comes undone you will "feed the bed" meaning all the milk goes soaking into a mattress instead of Kiya's tummy. This is also how I ruined my cell phone

7. Sometimes the pump stops working and you have to wait for hours for the Home Healthcare company to bring you a new one

8. You constantly have to play with the rate vs volume ratio to know what your child can tolerate

9. Before I can leave the house I have to remember: backpack, pump, iv bag, formula mix, extension tubing, vent syringe and emergency g-tube backpack

10. #1 reason- Kiya doesn't eat.

Wow I feel better getting that off my chest.