An Attitude of Gratitude

.


I have been away for a bit. I haven't blogged, haven't been checking in on the blogs I follow (sorry guys) and I haven't even been on the babycenter community board that I normally love. I've been busy yes, but mostly I've just been in a bit of a funk I guess. It occurred to me this morning, Thanksgiving day, that I need an attitude check. I've been so focused on all the things going wrong and not on the many things that are not. So, here is my list of the things I am grateful for....

I am grateful for:


my family


my nice hot cup of coffee


that Drew is still asleep so I can blog


that Paul is safely on his way home from his hunting trip and we get to spend the holidays together, no-one is overseas or in the hospital. I am also grateful he didn't get anything - sorry babe, but it's the truth. I don't really wanna eat Bambi...


that I don't have to cook today


that even though money is super tight, we can still afford basic cable and an internet connection


that discovery health is in included in basic cable


that while my couch is super ugly it is really really comfy


that Tony seems to finally be feeling a little better


that Drew is getting his first tooth


that even though he may irritate the heck out of me sometimes I am married to a good man who loves me enough to tell me so every single day


that Tony is doing well in school despite missing more than a month


that Tony's school and teachers have been so supportive and understanding of his health issues and our family's struggles in general - I must say I am pleasantly surprised at this


that both my kids have doctors who seem to genuinely care about them and their health and that their doctors are pretty good at communicating with me

that the medications seem to be keeping Drew's reflux under control

that while my car is acting up (i.e. dying) it is still technically running, AND has not broken down in and inconvenient spot


my fancy new cell phone with the calendar in it


that I don't have to cook today


that I get to live in the town I grew up in, surrounded by my family who I love


my parents, my brothers, my sisters in law and the "sister of my heart" - yes that's you Jen :)


my nieces and nephews and the new little niece or nephew on the way


my house, my very first house :)


that Drew is making some progress with his motor skills


that we have health insurance


that Paul has job security


that Paul gets the opportunity to go to school to learn welding - something he really wants to do, that he will develop a skill he can use when/if he retires from the Guard and/or decides not to work on Chinooks and Blackhawks anymore


I am so very grateful that despite many many health issues that could have been really really bad - both my kids are still here and doing ok. I am grateful that they can smile, laugh, wiggle, play, give me attitude, give me hugs, and that they know how much I love them.


Oh, and in case I didn't mention it, I'm grateful I don't have to cook today.



Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!!!


.

A pin-prick of light?

At the end of the tunnel that is. I'm almost afraid to type this, I don't want to "jinx" it. I will blame my superstitious nature on my Celtic and Sicilian roots - see? I had no chance there. Anyway, it seems that maybe, just maybe Drew is making some progress with the eating! There, I said it. Typed it. Whatever. Nothing bad happened. Knock on wood.

Yesterday we had an appointment with Drew's GI doc. I was fully expecting to be told that I would need to go ahead and get a G-tube (a feeding tube placed directly into the stomach) surgery done for Drew. He has had an NG (nasal gastric - goes in his nose, down his throat to his stomach) tube for a year now - almost unheard of. At the time of Drew's last appointment he had developed a swallowing aversion. He absolutely would NOT swallow ANYTHING. His reflux had gotten so severe that he was violently throwing up 4-5 times a day. His GI doc prescribed Reglan and he started doing better. For the past 2 weeks he has slept through the night (pretty much). He doesn't throw up any more! At all! Well, except that one time he cried himself sick - darn that separation anxiety. He has just the occasional spit-up now, just like a regular baby. This was all very good news, I know, but he still wasn't really eating, just spitting it back out. So even though he was keeping the tube-food down, I figured it would just take too long to get him eating (like years) and I would just have to suck it up and get the G-tube. Just in the past couple days though he has really seemed to be doing better with eating. He still spits his food back out, but he seems, well, more interested in the food. So I told this all to his GI doc at our appointment yesterday. She feels he is doing very well. It takes some time for the esophagus to heal she said, lets see what happens in the next two months. YAY! I know it may sound nuts to some of you moms who have the G-tubes because most people like the G-tube better than the NG - let's just say I have my reasons for not wanting to go the G-tube route. I was happy, but still a little wary. I was thinking, are we just postponing the inevitable? If he has to get it, why wait?

Well, today we had our feeding therapy appointment. His FT said she sees a definite improvement. A. DEFINITE. IMPROVEMENT. He is actually swallowing a tiny bit of his food! wooo hooo! So, there is my little pinprick of light. It is small. But I can see it.

Oh, and the frosting on the cake ---- as we were leaving the therapy appointment I noticed a tiny crumb of cookie on Drew's shirt. Instead of picking up and flicking it (like a normal person), I stuck it in his mouth (I know, I know, I'm gross) and I felt a little.. bump? ridge? on his bottom gums. Methinks my little guy may FINALLY be getting a tooth!