Therapy

Chloe finished her helmet wearing on November 2nd and on November 3rd we started going to occupational therapy. It is unrelated to the helmet but it sure seems like we are always going to some doctor for dear Chloe. Chloe is seeing a speech therapist to help her learn how to drink. Sounds kinda funny, I know but she has a lazy latch and a weak suck which is partly the reason she needs to be on the feeding tube. Basically she is not getting enough liquids. We have her calorie intake under control with the tube feedings and her being able to eat more and more foods as time goes on but she will not drink from a bottle or cup.

While we are at therapy we take different kinds of foods and drinks and see what Chloe will tolerate. She gets to practice her tongue movement with a Slim Jim beef stick (which she loves!). She also gets to try different ways to drink, like with a straw, with a spoon, with different types of sippy cups, and regular cups. So far she's not great at the drinking. The therapist thinks Chloe might be aspirating the liquid. Right now we are using a thickening agent in any liquid she gets and that seems to help.

That is our current adventure with Chloe. I'm starting to dread the end of each of our adventures because it seems like there is always a new one right around the corner to take its place.

Jillian's Underwater Adventure

Last week Chloe had an appointment at Primary Children's Medical Center at the nutrition clinic. The appointment was fairly unremarkable, pretty much they said keep doing what we are doing regarding her tube feedings. I had both girls with me at that appointment and Jillian was fascinated with the water feature at the entrance of the hospital. If you have never seen the entrance there is a few inches of water surrounding the sidewalk and if you are not careful you'll step right in the water. The edge of the water was decorated with pumpkins that kids had painted for Halloween. Jillian was so interested in the pennies people had thrown into the water and I told her, "Just look at the pennies. They are not to be touched. If you try to get one out you will get wet," as we walked into the hospital.

After the appointment Jillian wanted to look at the water so we stopped on our way to the car. I warned her again about getting to close and so she was sitting on the bench nearby and looked at the pumpkins. Sean had called while we were in our appointment and since I have no cell service in the hospital I called him back to see what he wanted. While we were talking about some bills that we didn't have to pay (you gotta love it when you get medical bills and when you call to pay them they tell you that you don't actually owe them anything) I noticed Jilly looking at the pennies in the water again. I told her not to get in the water and continued my conversation with Sean. The next thing I know I hear a SPLASH and there goes my Jilly, on all fours, in the water. Since there is less water than what I put in her bathtub I know she is not drowning so I quickly yell to Sean, "Gotta go, Jilly's in the water!" and grab her out of the fountain. She was drenched! That day wasn't particularly warm so I was trying to figure out if she was going to freeze or not. We walked to the car and I was debating whether or not to yell or laugh. I didn't do either because I was too mad to laugh and it was partially my fault for letting her get to close to the water in the first place.

We got back to the car and I stripped her down to her diaper and put her in the car. Luckily she had a blanket in the car and I turned the heater up so she wouldn't be too cold. She fell asleep on the way home and I carried her into the apartment in just her diaper. I'm sure the neighbors thought I was a great mom carting my 2-year-old around in just her diaper in 50 degree weather. Later when I questioned her about falling into the fountain she told me she was just trying to get a penny to put in her piggy bank. Of course!

We went back to PCMC today for another appointment for Chloe and so we discussed (about a dozen times) not getting into the water. I am happy to report today's visit to the hospital was void of any fountain swims. Also, Chloe is done with her helmet!