Last weekend, desperate for a solution, I resolved to try a few things to see if I could discover the source of Henry's tears.
I decided to add a little bit of food, pureed veggies and oatmeal to his regular formula intake. On Sunday, April 1st - Henry stopped crying after I cave him two tablespoons of banana and blueberry, mixed with oatmeal and formula, through his tube. It was like he transformed. I don't want to be overly dramatic, but the kid started playing on the floor, he started cooing, his skin got warm and his face changed.
Every day now, he gets two to three serving of fruit and veggies with every bolus. He also gets about 3 servings of oatmeal over the course of a day. He also takes his entire dose of formula. He had been only ab;e to tolerate half or 3/4 without starting a cycle of gas and pain. He no longer has gas associated with his gtube. His BM's are no longer watery. He has started to gain weight and he is happy.
Happy.
Occasionally, now, with a spare moment to hear my inner voice, I beat myself up. Maybe I should have known that all he needed was food.
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| Two to three servings of fruit and veggies a day. |
But, it doesn't matter. Now that Henry has stopped crying, the rest of our lives has brightened. We no longer worry. Feeling helpless to change things, colors all of your choices in a day. Depression is absolute. Laughter is sarcastic and joyless.
Henry is happy. So are the rest of us.
I have caught my family laughing and telling stories and playing - with a joyful twinkle.
Someone called Noah and I heroes yesterday. I shrugged it off. We are parents. We do nothing more or less than any other parent. We love our children.
Henry is the real hero. He won't give up on us, even when we have nearly given up on ourselves.
