Saturday, December 12, 2009

christmas decorations and an update

Jonah hanging the first ornament, his very first Hallmark ornament.



The finished tree.


Our JC Penny stockings.


The living room. I definitely would have liked the wrapped pictures better if I had solid paper and nicer bows, but I think the whole point is saving money and doing it with what you have. It took me a while to get used to it, but now I think I like it. Again, thanks for the great idea!


The outside of our house during the daytime. I did this last Sunday afternoon/evening and I about freezed my tooshy off. It was not fun. Stupid half-burnt out lights. It took about three times longer than it should have, and it was well after dark before I finished.

At night.


Baby Jonah on his Christmas blanket from Aunt Katherine.


***********************************
Things are not good here. Jonah held down five ounces overnight, but threw up his 9 am feeding. We called the doctor and she said to just give him a couple ounces of Pedialyte every hour and then to try a bottle again at 4 pm. We did and after about three ounces, he threw up again. He threw up again about thirty minutes ago when we gave him his Carafate and Prevacid. He handled the Pedialyte okay, but he's having trouble with anything else. And I feel like we need to keep trying because he's acting hungry. He definitely has an appetite. I just made him a seven ounce bottle and switched to soy formula, but still added an ounce of Pediasure and the rice cereal. I don't think it will make a difference, but Matt's feeding him now. Hopefully because he just threw up when we gave him the meds he can hold it down... although my guess is that he'll throw up at the beginning of his overnight feeding. It seems he either throws up at the middle or end of one feeding or at the very beginning of the next. And when I say "throws up," I mean everything in his stomach. He just continues to gag and heave until he's cleaned out. It's breaking my heart, and I know he's starving.

I have no idea what's causing this, but it's not good. Obviously we are worried about many things, our biggest concerns being that he's losing much-needed calories, dehydration if he keeps this up (EB babies can get dehydrated VERY quickly), and damage/blistering to his esophagus. My guess is that if things don't drastically improve tomorrow, we will be seeing the pediatrician and/or his GI doctor on Monday. He already has a barium swallow scheduled for January 6th (which was scheduled before all this gushing started), but we may have to move it up to see about what may be causing this and what damage he's doing.

On top of all that, it just sucks to be cleaning puke off the carpet/hardwood floors/furniture all day and doing several partial bandage changes in addition to our full one in the morning. I can't speak for Matt, but I am completely exhausted, irritated, ticked off, leaning toward depressed. This is completely frustrating. We had to cancel plans to go to our Sunday School class party tonight and won't be attempting church in the morning. Once again, we're homebound. Terrific.

43 comments:

Sewconsult said...

Prayers being said for all of you, but an extra one for Jonah.
Beckie in Brentwood, TN

Kirstin Stenberg said...

I gotta tell you Patrice, it sounds as if Jonah is allergic to something new in his diet - and an allergy can take some time (see several weeks) to build up to a point where it's making him sick.
If he is keeping the pedialyte down without an issue, I suspect he has a milk/whey protein allergy. Now might be the time to try him again on some solids, especially if it seems like he is quite hungry.
He is still under the age of one, and his digestive tract is still underdeveloped - many babies are unable to handle milk protein until well after their first year (Im a special education teacher and have spent a career working with medically fragile children).
Try solids again - very smooth solids. Rice cereal can be abrasive to the throat. Try the soy formula overnight, just straight soy formula - be aware, though, that the vomiting may continue until the milk protein is no longer active in his GI tract.
Good luck! Praying.

Tricia said...

Praying for you all.

LuLaRoeMeg said...

Hi Patrice. I check your blog often, although never comment. We have dear friends who just attended an unbelievable conference for their 10 mo son with seizures. I want to send you the website (www.iahp.org) because our friends learned SO MUCH about helping their son by starting with nutrition. It's a really intense nutrition program, but I wonder if it would help your sweet Jonah?
By the way, I'm not sure if this conference would be helpful for Jonah because he's not brain-injured, but these people are believers and have tremendous results of children who come in with HUGE medical issues, and leave the program (6mo-1 year later) not needing any meds. At the very least, I wonder if they'd send you their dietary program?
Praying for you. Thanks for being vulnerable, so we know how to pray.

Terah722 said...

Praying, praying, praying! Hang in there girl. Your sweet little boy (and you and hubby) are being lifted up to our precious Savior.
Terah

The Fisher Family said...

Sending you, Matt & Jonah love & prayers ~ hang in there.

Katherine @ Grass Stains said...

I'm so sorry Jonah still isn't doing well with his eating ... and I'm equally sorry that it's got you so down. It always hurts my heart when you and/or Matt are having a tough time emotionally, and I wish so badly I could be there with you. Love you to pieces and will continue praying!

Kayte said...

Praying for all of you...

Love from Florida-
K

Tracie said...

I hope you don't find this creepy since you don't know me, but I really wish I could come help you in any way possible. Since I can't, I am sending so many prayers your way. I hope Jonah feels much better tomorrow!

newwife said...

Sending prayers for you, Matt and Jonah ~ hang in there and hope that things start to improve!

Kelli said...

Thinking of you all tonight, especially Jonah, and saying a prayer!

Millicent said...

I'm so sorry this is happening...I will pray for you guys!!!!

Kim and Asa said...

Any chance the gushers are virus related? I guess he'd probably have diarrhea but not necessarily. Some docs give Zofran if the puking is bad enough. I'm not sure if they'd do that for such a young guy though. Asa pukes alot, at least once a day, and he has never had Zofran so I'm not sure it'd help.

And your house looks great! I love the star tree topper! I wasn't happy with mine so I refused to put it us this year. I've been saying I want a new one forever but since one has been up there I've not bought a new one. Now with a naked tree I'm truly shopping for a topper.....I just can't find one I like! Were'd you get yours?

Sara Denslaw said...

I know he has been doing this since before you started the Pediasure, but maybe stop giving that to him for a while and see if it helps at all. That stuff is really rich and might be more than his little tummy can handle right now. Just try to soy for 48 hrs or so and see if there is a difference in how much/how often he throws up. If it helps, you can always try the Pediasure later in the week and see what happens.

**HUGS**

Carrie said...

So sorry to hear about these gushers. I am worried about Jonah too. I hope you get some answers from the Drs. Like a previous poster mentioned, I wish I could help relieve some of your stress in some way. Tonight my son worked himself into such a frenzy crying that he had a major gusher himself. I was so stressed out about that one time, I can't even imagine how worried you must be every time it happens . . .plus the constant clean-up. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. Wishing there was more I could do.

Laura A said...

I'm so sorry, Patrice - I'm praying for sweet Jonah now, and will pray for you. I'm praying that God will give you and Matt peace, wisdom and encouragement in the middle of this storm.

I love your Christmas decorations, and hope they at least give you a glimmer of happiness during the day! Looks like Jonah had fun with his first ornament.

If there's anything at all I can do for you from here (besides praying!), please let me know.

Love from TX!
Laura

Courtney Roth said...

Hey girl! Tripp and Jonah must have all the same blankets! Every picture I see they are the same- thank God for those soft blankets, huh?
I'm so sorry things aren't going good. Please call me if you ever want to talk, I'm always here. Gosh, I know those feelings of helplessness, anger, and just plain depressed. I hope all your doctors appointments go well next week, and I hope Jonah starts tolerating his feedings again. I love you guys and pray that things get better. Call if you need to vent.
All my love,
Courtney

Janel said...

If I could get in the car and come help you- even if it's just cleaning up the puke I would!!

I'm really glad that you have the barium scheduled.

If he is heaving and gaging it sounds like he might have a virus or alergic reaction or something more than just his reflux (unless that is his normal gushing).


Anyway! all that to say, Hang in there! We are all praying for you and Jonah and Matt!

*Hugs*
J

Our life is a bowl of Barry's said...

Sorry to thear that things are so bad right now. Praying things improve-either Jonah or how you are feeling...but even better would be both! If it makes you feel any better, i love the decorations!! The tree looks great, the outside looks very festive and I LOVE the gift wrapped wall hangings.....Go Patrice! here's hoping Jonah kept it all down....

Aunt_Nette said...

he looks so cute with his mohawk.

Ryley @ That's My Family! said...

Have you thought about allergies? My son has a protien allergy called FPIES the causes him to throw up. He is allergic to many things including grains, milk and soy. Could the rice you are giving him be causing this? Or the formula??

jennhenders said...

Patrice,

I have been reading your blog since Katherine posted about your family long ago. (I go to church w/ Katherine, Grayson, and boys). I am wondering if Jonah is just experiencing the stomach bug that is going around. At least, it's going around here in Birmingham. My fifteen month old started with it, throwing up everything for six solid hours about a week ago before it went through our whole house. We were having to give him Pedialyte, too. One teaspoon every five minutes until he could hold something down. For a few hours he was throwing even that up. I want to say I hope that's all it is even though I know that's not a good thing for Jonah to have. But it's better than a long lasting allergy issue. We'll hope for something shortlived. Good luck, and I'm sorry you are having to deal w/ this.

Jennifer H. in Homewood, AL

Mrs. Hoot said...

Poor little buddy... do you think he might have a stomach virus? I wish so much I could come and give you a big hug!! Praying for all of you!!

Anonymous said...

Praying for you all. -Nikki

Brandie said...

You are heavy on my heart tonight. I hope they can find some answers of why this is happening. Stay strong, and I'll say a prayer for the 3 of you.
Though I think your living room looks amazing, such cute Christmas decor!

Sara said...

Many many prayers for you and Jonah and Matt! I don't know if this will help any, I never have had to deal with gushers, but on the off chance that it isn't a stomach virus or something else going on, maybe try giving him fewer ounces at a time, but more frequently. That way his little tummy won't have so much in it. I know this helped me with morning sickness - smaller meals, but you eat more times a day. I hope that makes sense.

I will continue to pray for you guys! Hope you feel better Jonah!

xoxox~

Joni said...

Hey Patrice, I was just sitting here thinking and a thought came to my mind about your lil' Jonah so I thought I'd ask. Is there a possibility that his entire feed from before isn't being fully processed for some reason, so when you go to feed him his next feeding that it is "over-filling" him and causing him to throw up? I don't know, just asking. My other thought is this, I KNOW juice is not good for babies, but Apple Juice mixed with water 1/4 to 3/4, 1/4 being Apple Juice, one tablespoon every five minutes is supposed to help with throwing up. Something you could possibly try and see if it helps with his most recently throwing up and gushers? Again, I don't know, just asking. Like a previous poster said it could be the Pedialyte, or it could be the formula. My former sister-in-law's kids couldn't have ANY milk, except breastmilk, for a while when they were babies, eventually when she quit nursing she put them on goats milk and that seemed to ok for them. Maybe you could try that too? I know it's a lil' expensive, but can't be anymore than having to switch formulas regularly I wouldn't think. Don't know, just some ideas I was thinking of while I was in bed tonight. Hope it helps, and if not, I'm Sorry, I was trying to be helpful. Praying feverishly for all of you, and hoping you all got a good nights rest as well.

Jorrylin said...

I'm praying for all of you!

kimmie said...

well I could not think of a cuter decorated house to be "homebound" in, but it sounds awful. Poor Jonah! I hardly know you, but I think of your family and pray for Jonah all the time. I love the pictures, he just gets cuter and cuter!
~Kimberly (Randolph) Waller

RLR said...

Praying that you get to the bottom of things quickly, that you don't have to move up the procedures you already have scheduled, and that you have peaceful, happy celebrations. Merry Christmas!

Claire said...

Praying for you all, sweetie.

Cxx

Angela said...

Was Jonah vaccinated against the rotavirus? Just my thoughts but could he possibly have a GI virus like rotavirus or something else? Sometimes they are the worst the first time kids get them with vomiting the first few days and then diarrhea that can last off and on for up to 3 weeks.

We just had a bout of pukies in our house that took us down one by one. First it was the baby on Tuesday, then the older 2 Wednesday night, followed by my husband Thursday afternoon and finally I got it Friday morning.

Praying for your little man as always and praying that you can find some peace in all of this.

McDermott Fam said...

I check your blog often but have never left a comment. I am so sorry things have taken a bad turn. Jonah has such a sweet face and you are such a great mommy to him! I am praying for you all right now. I hope you find an answer to all of this very soon! Hang in there.

Brandi said...

Hi! Stopping by via i ♥ faces. The decorations are lovely. I like the wrapped pictures... never seen that before.

Your sweet baby will be in my prayers.

Melanie said...

When my daughter had reflux and the pediatrician was explaining it all and what to expect, I THINK I remember her telling me that it would get worse around 9 months as the esophogeal sphincter was strengthening as it started working as a muscle (as opposed to just a flap, which is pretty much all it is for the first 9 months or so of life). Then once the muscle has developed (no later than 1 year - for mine it was 11 months), it should be better... All that being said, the repeated heaving you've described sounds like something besides reflux to me (allergy or virus, maybe), so I really don't know. But I wanted to mention this in case it might be worth asking his dr about.
As always, I'll be praying for you, Matt, and precious baby Jonah.

Melanie Peden

Erin said...

So sorry to hear this Patrice. I'll be praying for all of you.

Libby said...

I'm so sorry to hear Jonah's not well--I'll be praying for him and you!

Tracy said...

Ah God Love Ya, Hang in there. You are the best Mama. We are praying for you.

Tracy

Meghann said...

Just something I found for you ...

'Faith Will Conquer'

If you are going through a trial
And the burden is heavy for you
Surrender it all to Jesus
He knows what to do.

Increase your Faith every day
Keep pressing on and be strong
Faith will conquer every fear
God can fill your heart with song.

Even when you are so weary
And when tears dim your eyes
Trust in God to bring you through.
He is with you and hears your cries.

When discouragement touches your mind
And your heart aches with pain
God will lift the hard times from you
Be patient as He restores you again.

Pray to God for every moment
Lift your voice up in praise
It will help to lift your spirit
Let Him guide in all your ways.

By: Leona I. Miller

Wanda Wilkinson said...

your house & tree look beautiful...love Jonah putting his new ornament...

HOpe by now the puking has slowed down & things are looking better.

Just got home from Boone & like always as I come into Forsyth county I start praying in earnest for Jonah & family...not stopping until I exit the county...makes me feel closer to you when I am in the county you live in.

Like I said hope all of you have had a much better day.

Prayers continue to be sent up for all of you.

Love, Wanda

emily said...

Dear Patrice:
I have been reading your blog for months and have never left a comment until now. I live in Greensboro and keep hoping I will run into you and Baby Jonah one day, but unitl then I just wanted to let you know that I pray for your family and for Jonah everyday. You are such a wonderful person and an amazing mother, stay strong. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and praying that Jonah will stop getting sick and start eating better soon. Sending you much love.
Emily Haley

Me, the boys and a Farm... said...

Your home looks beautiful! Love the wrapped pictures...have never heard of that before...now that I have actually seen it...I think its kinda cool! I am sorry things aren't as they were a week ago...but I hope and pray that God will be with you and the Doctors as you figure it out. Blessings to you and yours.

Heather said...

Your house looks beautiful! I am so sorry Jonah is throwing up so much. Praying for you guys.