Aftershocks

Last week Maddox stepped on a picker while he was barefoot.  The screaming and sobbing was unbelievable.  While I was trying to help calm him down, he yelled "But it feels like a poke from the hospital".

Oh sweethart.

I had to talk him down and have him repeat after me, "I'm not getting a poke, There aren't any needles, I am at home, I am safe, Mommy and Daddy are with me, Mason and Jack are here etc...".  It was heartbreaking to see and hear.  It took a good 15 minutes for him to calm down. (Then I had to repeat the same things to myself ;) )

Ever since the hospital stays, he becomes very upset with any scrapes or cuts that bleed.  He cannot stand the sight of blood anymore and just panics when he sees it.  Blood never used to bother him before.  But he had some messy IVs at the hospital, so there you go.

Mason is still dealing with some stuff as well.  Maddox had a follow up appt 2 hours away yesterday, so I had a babysitter (we now have TWO babysitters) hang with Mason at home.  He was anxious that Maddox would have to stay at the hospital and that Mason would be alone with the babysitter.

I suppose it will be a while before we aren't reacting in these ways.

Maddox came down with a cold over the weekend which meant there was vomiting and retching again, however, it wasn't anything like before and we were able to manage it, even though it meant he didn't get his full feedings for a couple days.  I am starting to feel more confident when he is sick, because I feel like Craig and I have a plan of action, so we aren't just pulling stuff out of our behinds.

Maddox had a follow up appt yesterday.  He is 36 pounds (he lost a bit from the weekend) and is 40 inches! He is at the 25th percentile for weight and height.  I guess they want to see him at the 75th percentile.  We did get the go ahead to decrease the time he is on the feeding pump for 1 hour for 2 weeks. If he makes up the calories lost on his own, we can decrease by another hour for 2 weeks and so on.  If he doesn't make up the calories, then we go back to 15 hours.  Whoo-Hoo!!!

Can you hear the angel choir singing?! I can!
This is the first step of weaning him off the feeding tube.  Our GI doctor was very impressed with the amount of food Maddox is eating and the change in his weight and height.  He feels Maddox's stomach and GI system finally "grew up".  I am guessing the entire system has matured.  Hooray for maturity.

The doctor also said that when we go camping, we can just leave him unhooked from the feeding pump the whole time.  We aren't quite ready for that.  It would be 3 days without enough nutrition and that would leave Maddox tired and cranky. Not a good combo for tent camping.  We will only hook him up when he is sleeping, so he won't need to worry about it while running around.  bbWhat a gift for him!

Those are the big things happening around here. 

Mason and Maddox have reached a new level in their sibling relationship.  They are playing board and card games together, playing together and are pretty inseperable.  Mason even camped out in Maddox's room two nights in a row.  The giggles and laughter were plenty.  It's heartwarming to see this development.  I hope they remain close throughout their life.  (I'm not saying they don't have their moments, they are normal, but this is a big thing around here)

Jack has turned into a very naughty dog.  I am hoping it is just "adolescence".  Training does not start until the middle of July.  He is still a very fun dog.  The boys taught him how to "beg".  It is very cute.  He is a fun loving, mischevious, smart dog. He is kind of like a dog version of Maddox.  But Maddox's personality is much bigger.

The Business of Eating

Maddox is eating.

A. Lot.

It's unbelievable.

He is eating baby carrots, pea pods, orange and apple slices, beans, peas, corn, all meats, mango. He has tried and eaten a leaf of spinach, blueberries, golden raspberries.

I do not know who this child is.

It's amazing. I tear up thinking about it. What a gift! He is excited to sit at the table for meals and he is excited for his food and excited to try new foods and he is so very proud of himself. This boy, the one who gagged looking at many foods, who would take a bite and say "I'm full", who would become anxious at meal time and who would cry. I am amazed at this change in him and I need to give God all the credit.

We had people come from our church and pray for Maddox and our family once a week for several weeks. This is when the change started.

I have to admit I had a hard time typing that. I have always struggled with the healing part of God because so many people pray for healing for themselves and loved ones, and people still aren't healed. I have friends and family who have lost babies and children who never wavered in their faith and never gave up asking, and God didn't heal.

I don't know why God is healing Maddox, but I can't deny the fact that He is. It certainly isn't because I am super faithful and never doubt or question. Or that I am some super Christian. In fact, I never really asked God to heal Maddox because I just didn't believe in that part of God. But I came to the point where I had no other choice. I really didn't. And so I started asking God to heal him, and when I was exhausted and tired of asking, I asked others to come and ask for the healing.

I am tempted to delete everything I just typed. I am conflicted with sharing all of this. In my heart I am grateful for the healing God has done, I just don't feel right sharing it. I certainly wouldn't want to hear about some healing going on in someone's life if it wasn't happening (or didn't happen) for my loved one. Maybe that's just my immaturity showing, but it's how I feel. And yet, I feel I need to give credit where it's due. But not in a gloating, boasting, bragging way. It's actually very humbling when I think about it.

Wow. This was just going to be a post about how well Maddox is eating. Let me know how you feel about all of this (ha! That would be about 2 or 3 opinions ).

But the good news is, Maddox is eating!!!