Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Medicine and More Medicine...

Poor boy...he's on all sorts of medicine! Today, at 10 weeks, I'd venture to say Luke is easily over 10 pounds, hooray! At the doctor last week, he was about 9 lbs., 10 or so ounces, though he was clothed. That was Thursday, so I bet he's at 10 or more now. Which is good information to know, seeing as his name is written on various medicinal bottles throughout the house and we have to adjust dosages.

He's still on Zantac for reflux. Which seems to work, provided the dosage is appropriate.

He takes Colic Calm (he really loves the black licorice flavor!) for his hiccups--mainly because he gets hiccups a good bit and they are often wet because of the reflux, so I try to nip them in the bud when they appear.

He has an eye cream prescribed for his infected tear duct...although I am still dousing his eye with breast milk at each feeding and that helps. It just isn't clearing it up fast enough, so I think we are going to start administering the cream.

He has hydrocortisone cream for his cradle crap (and seriously, we think cradle cap is CRAP!) because his poor little face is just awful without it. I am using it sparingly, but if I go more than about 2-3 days without the cream, he ends up with a horrible rash that gets crusty yellow and just looks like it hurts terribly.

And now, after the visit with the pediatric urologist, he has an antibiotic added to the mix. We saw her on Thursday (loved her, by the way!) and basically Luke either has an obstruction of the kidney or ureter or reflux of either. He has to be on an antibiotic for maybe a year or longer to ward off urinary tract infections. The doctor said that if he even has a hint of a fever, we have to have his urine tested. We also have to go to Childrens in DC on April 1 for a procedure which will require a catheter to check the plumbing out. I am going to HATE that for him.

Poor boy! Through all of this, he is still such a sweet and happy baby. He's just so calm and mellow...you'd never know about all the meds and issues.

We aren't worried much. After researching all the stuff that goes with infant kidney issues for Matthew, I feel like I am pretty prepared for just about anything with Luke. It could be as benign as just this being his anatomy and we will keep on the antibiotics for a while or require more invasive treatment...I have come to learn though that even if we had to remove his kidney (SO NOT where we are headed, I am sure!) that we'd still be ok. People live without one all the time and don't even know it.

When you've buried a child, somehow taking another to the doctor for a procedure, albeit a not fun one, still is a blessing.

It's just a procedure. I'll immediately comfort him. He'll know his mommy loves him and will take care of him. It will only hurt a little bit.

He'll come home. He'll come home. He'll come home.
This will be a piece of cake, comparatively.

We also confirmed that we will be moving in June! Looks like I will be 'Doing Maryland' by remote from sunny Jacksonville, North Carolina! I admit it is bittersweet. We loved living in North Carolina and are excited about being back and seeing friends. I love the beach. I love the warmer weather. We love the Shrimp Festival!

But...we have obligations and responsibilities here. Financially, things will be very different. We will have to put much of our stuff in storage while we are in NC. We will miss our friends and family here.

I sat in church on Sunday and cried. It was a service where both of our campuses got together, so it was HUGE. There were so many people there who have touched our lives...people I've come to meet since Matthew died and people I haven't even met yet who prayed for us and sent us cards after Matthew died and after Luke was born. The thought of having to leave so much of what holds intense sentimental memory just makes my stomach churn.

Not to mention the thought of my sweet boy's grave just being alone. Thinking about it just hurts my heart.

In any event, we are a military family, and as such, home is where the Marine Corps sends us. I've come to accept that I could live in a box without $10 in the bank but have John and Luke safe and happy and healthy and life will be good. So...we prepare to go!

Luke still loves, loves, loves his baths! They are his favorite part of his bedtime routine. He is eating about every 3 hours or so still, including at night. I keep waiting for the longer stretches everyone says should be happening at this point, or the dropping of a feed during the night, but no such luck. I am glad he eats well, so certainly not complaining, but I won't lie and say that I don't miss sleep! I do! So, just trying to keep some sort of schedule and hope his little body starts regulating more in the evening to sleep longer stretches than 2 hours. Part of the problem is a swaddling problem...he must be swaddled to go to sleep but once asleep, he'll sort of stir in the middle of the night and try to work himself out--to the point that he gets really mad...mad enough to be good and awake! I'm in a catch-22...he still flails his arms around and won't settle to sleep unless swaddled (but swaddled, he is instantly calmed and goes right down) but gets so mad because he's restrained during the night that he wakes himself up. I have tried every blanket/swaddler out there--as I've said before--and no luck. I read that swaddled babies sleep longer stretches, but I feel like I'm going to have to take him off the swaddle so that he won't wake himself up and be angry in the night.

It's frustrating...poor thing. Just can't make up his mind!

He's really strong! I hold him and he tries to stand and really puts a lot of weight on his legs. He is getting better with control of his neck (sort of!) and hands (sort of!) and once he gets more control, I think he'll be loving things! He has started to try and stuff his fingers in his mouth more and more--I can't imagine he's teething yet, but it could be possible. He is also making more and more faces, and in many pictures, with those chubby cheeks, he looks a bit jowl-y even! He looks like a little old man many times of the day!

He is strictly in 0-3 month clothes now...no more newborn! Even though he and Matthew were close in birth months, there's enough difference that Luke doesn't have much to wear. Don't get me wrong, there's a TON of baby boy clothing in my house. Most of it was for Matthew, though, and I didn't buy much for Luke because I figured they'd be able to share since they were so close--end of November to beginning of January. Unfortunately, that's enough time to not be close enough. The things that he has won't fit him until it's too warm--so there are tons of sweet overalls and sweaters and cute pants/jackets outfits that just won't be won because they are too big for him. I am basically just throwing things on him whether or not they are too big--just rolling up the pants so he can get some wear! I guess we'll have some great, great stuff to consign!

Here are some pictures from this week:











18 comments:

  1. He is SUCH a little man in that turtleneck!!! He looks more like you every day. So sorry about the swaddle thing...mine hated it so I stopped really early, but they also were OK going to sleep.

    Mine skipped their first feeding Christmas night at 7-8 weeks. Then again a week later. And they were formula fed, so... it will happen soon! Just started sleeping through the night at 4 months and I am like a new person. I had so many breakdowns thinking I would never sleep again, but thankful for healthy, happy babies.

    Oh, and mine are are Zantac too. Amelia spits up like crazy.

    SECURITY WORD: Buste. lol

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  2. He's such a cutie!! Love all those funny faces! Sorry he has all those meds, but I'm with you, here safe and sound with meds is the much better option!!! Hoping the sleep comes soon!

    I just finished reading "The Happiest Baby on the Block" and it was immensely interesting about the swaddling and other things, just a thought! We'll see how it works once Cala is here! Now I've moved on to Baby Wise! :)

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  3. I love all the big boy clothes you have for him!! Liam LOVES standing, too. He'll even walk up my belly! Oh, and we have the beginnings of a tooth here, so anything is possible!

    Praying the cath will be gentle for him. :(

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  4. Lori-he is just precious!! I remember having the swaddling problem too..it stinks! B is itting by me and as I scrolled through Luke's pictures he said, "Awww, he is CUTE!" I agree!!
    Good luck with the kidney. My neighbors son had reflux of the kidney and had surgery this summer. Now everything looks awesome and taken care of... hope it is an easy fix for Luke as well!!
    I miss you and hope to see you soon!!
    XOXO

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  5. He is just so cute. His eyes are so expressive! On the swaddle - Ella had the same issue so we swaddled her but left one arm out and that helped. She didn't feel totally bound up I guess. We swaddled her forever...I think it was really close to 6 months. She was about 5 months I think when she slept all night (like 7 hrs).

    Glad you are happy with your orders. We had the twins cremated even though I HATED the thought of that. I was so torn on what to do because I knew we'd be leaving there. :(

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  6. My cousin had kidney reflux when she was a baby. She is now a healthy young lady with babies of her own :)

    Have you tried switching soap to see if that helps Luke's cradle cap? My oldest daughter had the crusty/flaky cradle cap and after switching her shampoo it cleared right up. It might be worth a try.

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  7. Gosh I love this little boy. His photos always make me smile!! And I am loving the monkey outfit and hat.

    Thinking of you always, Megan

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  8. He looks like such a happy baby! Glad he is gaining weight. Carly has some nights where she will go 3-4 hours between feedings, but most nights it is still 2 - 2.5 hours still. Hope the swaddling works out. I am no help there. Carly has never liked to be swaddled so we just gave up on it. Hope the move goes well! My step-daughter will be going to NC for college in the fall.

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  9. Praying for beautiful Luke...and Mommy and Daddy, too!

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  10. I'm dying over here about that sock monkey hat! It's adorable. Sorry you're battling reflux. After Zantac let us down about 10 days after starting it we are now getting some relief with adding Prevacid. Hope that all goes well with his upcoming procedures.

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  11. For everything he has been going through, he still appears to be quite the happy baby! :) Love the pics, Lori. Thank you for sharing. Wishing you many happy wishes on the trip to NC now. Love the state myself...but I can't imagine having to move. Hoping it's somewhat easy on your heart and you are able to find a connection with friends out there right away. You are an amazing person...people will be drawn to you. ((hugs))

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  12. He is so adorable!!

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  13. SO, SO, SO cute!

    I'm sure you get tons of advice but what worked with our son's cradle cap was baby or olive oil. We would pour a little in a bowl and then use a soft toothbrush to massage it into his scalp. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, then used a fine tooth baby comb to comb out the crusties. It will take a few rounds of shampooing to ungrease him but if he loves his bath, all the better! We also switched to only Cetephil soap for him. At age 4 or 5 (years) he graduated to Johnson & Johnson's baby soap.

    For our daughter who spit up until she was 6 months or so, she slept in her bouncy seat every night. Though, this caused some transition issues to her bed and she and dad spent many nights sleeping in the chair. Might not be the best advice...

    Your laid back attitude is incredible. Glad you are able to find peace in it all. Hope soon you will find sleep too!

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  14. I love that first photo in your post! He just has the brightest expression - like he knows a big secret :)

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  15. I think Luke looks a lot like you! :)

    As far as the sleeping longer issue: I've heard (and it was true for both of mine) that they'll start to sleep longer as they gain more weight. The magic number for sleeping through the night is about 16 lbs. Granted "through the night" is only about 8 hours.

    And the swaddling thing. The exact same thing happened with Logan! What worked for us was giving him a little beanie baby to hold onto. It was just enough for him to hold so that his little arms wouldn't flail around and wake him up. Worked like a charm. Just a thought...
    Congrats on the move! As a prior military wife, I know how hard it is to move. But you have some very difficult things to leave.

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  16. Awwwwwwwww He is just soooooooo cute! He looks just like his daddy to me ;O) I will be praying that everything goes well for him on April. Sending you lots of hugs and love.

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  17. He's sure growing! Poor guy with all that he has to deal with! But he's got a great mommy and daddy taking care of him!

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