2/1/09 Surgery follow-up, endocrinologist and January accomplisments
Nathan is 16 months old.
Doctors Update: Nathan was taken off oxygen a couple of days after I last posted. He hasn’t needed oxygen since then and his SAT stayed at 93 which is acceptable.
We saw the urologist at the beginning at the month for a follow-up after surgery. Nathan has a fluid sac (hydrocele) that Dr. W is hoping will just go away. We will watch it for the next 6-9 months and then make decision about whether to go in to drain it. Right now, we both agree that we would rather not seem him go under anesthesia any time soon. So we are just waiting.
We met our newest doctor, the endocrinologist, this last week to discuss Nathan’s growth and hypoglycemia. Dr. D wants to just wait and watch how Nathan grows for the next 6 months. We only need to worry if he stops growing for 3-4 months at a time. I am excited to report that he has gained 3 pounds and grown 2 inches in the last month! He is up to 20lbs and 4 oz as of the 28th. (Yes, I am developing incredible arm muscles!) As for his hypoglycemia, Dr. D just wants us to make watch his behaviors when he hasn’t had food and be especially careful when he becomes ill. If he becomes lethargic, we are to take him to the hospital to check his sugars and get them raised again.
So we are in the Wait and Watch mode for the hydrocele, atrial septal defect & enlarge aortic root, hypoglycemia, cortical visual impairment, and everything else that I have currently forgotten. This is a great place to be. As of right now, Nathan doesn’t have a single doctor’s appointment for February which is fabulous.
Progress: We have been very excited about Nathan’s progress this month. First, he has become an extreme bouncer. He is standing in the bouncer for at least a minute and will jump for at least 30 minutes. He even whines if you take him out when he is having fun. His legs are getting much stronger and he jumps like a madman. He can move his bouncer up to two-three feet when he really gets going. His smile is contagious and no one can walk by him in the bouncer without making a face and laughing with him.
Nathan’s babbling has been increasing in frequency and quantity. One night when Ben and I were upstairs, Ben asked who had called, “Dad.” It was Nathan downstairs. Before you get excited, he doesn’t mean to say anything particular yet but he is saying many new sounds. He enjoys babbling to himself and will often babble away at night when he gets tired.
The most exciting improvement is that he is now getting on his hands and knees, and rocking back and forth. This is the first steps before crawling! You have to understand that I have been putting him in this position almost every day for the past 10 months trying to help him to learn to crawl. When he is in this position, he is actually looking at us and smiling.
He is able to sit for longer periods without falling. We are currently trying to teach him how to lean forward to slowly get out of the sitting position. He typically arches backward and has to have pillows or a blanket behind him at all times. He likes to sit and play with his cars, balls and other toys.
We are also working on helping him to learn how to put food in his mouth. He has learned how to chew his food and we can now feed him food that has been through the baby grinder.
Favorite activities: Currently Nathan loves to play in his bean box. It is just a plastic tub filled with beans. We can hide a toy and then he will find it. He is also learning how to roll cars and play with balls. It is fun to roll the ball back and forth with him.
Note: Music to the video was chosen by the kids.
Nathan is 16 months old.
Doctors Update: Nathan was taken off oxygen a couple of days after I last posted. He hasn’t needed oxygen since then and his SAT stayed at 93 which is acceptable.
We saw the urologist at the beginning at the month for a follow-up after surgery. Nathan has a fluid sac (hydrocele) that Dr. W is hoping will just go away. We will watch it for the next 6-9 months and then make decision about whether to go in to drain it. Right now, we both agree that we would rather not seem him go under anesthesia any time soon. So we are just waiting.
We met our newest doctor, the endocrinologist, this last week to discuss Nathan’s growth and hypoglycemia. Dr. D wants to just wait and watch how Nathan grows for the next 6 months. We only need to worry if he stops growing for 3-4 months at a time. I am excited to report that he has gained 3 pounds and grown 2 inches in the last month! He is up to 20lbs and 4 oz as of the 28th. (Yes, I am developing incredible arm muscles!) As for his hypoglycemia, Dr. D just wants us to make watch his behaviors when he hasn’t had food and be especially careful when he becomes ill. If he becomes lethargic, we are to take him to the hospital to check his sugars and get them raised again.
So we are in the Wait and Watch mode for the hydrocele, atrial septal defect & enlarge aortic root, hypoglycemia, cortical visual impairment, and everything else that I have currently forgotten. This is a great place to be. As of right now, Nathan doesn’t have a single doctor’s appointment for February which is fabulous.
Progress: We have been very excited about Nathan’s progress this month. First, he has become an extreme bouncer. He is standing in the bouncer for at least a minute and will jump for at least 30 minutes. He even whines if you take him out when he is having fun. His legs are getting much stronger and he jumps like a madman. He can move his bouncer up to two-three feet when he really gets going. His smile is contagious and no one can walk by him in the bouncer without making a face and laughing with him.
Nathan’s babbling has been increasing in frequency and quantity. One night when Ben and I were upstairs, Ben asked who had called, “Dad.” It was Nathan downstairs. Before you get excited, he doesn’t mean to say anything particular yet but he is saying many new sounds. He enjoys babbling to himself and will often babble away at night when he gets tired.
The most exciting improvement is that he is now getting on his hands and knees, and rocking back and forth. This is the first steps before crawling! You have to understand that I have been putting him in this position almost every day for the past 10 months trying to help him to learn to crawl. When he is in this position, he is actually looking at us and smiling.
He is able to sit for longer periods without falling. We are currently trying to teach him how to lean forward to slowly get out of the sitting position. He typically arches backward and has to have pillows or a blanket behind him at all times. He likes to sit and play with his cars, balls and other toys.
We are also working on helping him to learn how to put food in his mouth. He has learned how to chew his food and we can now feed him food that has been through the baby grinder.
Favorite activities: Currently Nathan loves to play in his bean box. It is just a plastic tub filled with beans. We can hide a toy and then he will find it. He is also learning how to roll cars and play with balls. It is fun to roll the ball back and forth with him.
Note: Music to the video was chosen by the kids.
1 comment:
What a Cutie!!
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