A catch-up post

Not sure how it's been over a week since I last posted.  Can that be right?? 
So let's see how well I can summarize. 

The afternoon of the last post, the baby started this new thing.  He was doing the same choking like episodes but instead of falling asleep, he was screaming in pain!  I mean screaming.  It came in waves and then it would end.  Then again and again.  I noticed that the longer it had been since food, the less his pain.  So I started messing with his feed rate.  It got so bad that I basically stopped feeding him. 

I got advice from lots of docs and moms.  We decided on a time line of when to take him in (since it was the holiday weekend, ALL my usual docs were out!).  Then Saturday about 5 pm (26 hours later), he just stopped. 

Looking back, it might have just been a flu like thing but it's so hard to know since he can't tell us and he is very atypical in almost every area. 

July 4th - Church came over to our house for the "traditional" meal.  Nice to have a semi-normal time!

That week, I took the kids again to Busch Gardens.  This time we decided to stay until close - 9pm.  But then there was a bonus show.  So by the time we got home, it was almost 11pm!  My 6 babies were all very tired and slept very well. 

As you notice in the picture, he has discovered his toes!!  We have to prop his hiney up to get it there but he LOVES them!

Jacob turned 12 on July 7.  Can't believe how time flies until you look at a growing child.  Jacob is our oldest.  We got him and his biological sister when he was 19 months old.  They said he was "retarded" (their word, not mine) and possibly deaf.  Turned out, he just needed some love and attention!  I still remember the Helen Keller type moment with him where he realized I was trying to talk to him!!  I still wonder sometimes too what might have happened to him had we gotten him earlier in life. I know it's young, but so much damage had already been done.  He's high functioning autistic (some say Asperger's, depends on the neurologist) ... and I wonder. 

Anyway ... he's now 5'8", 135 pounds and wears a men's size 11 shoe!  On his birthday he decided he wanted to see if he could pick me up.  He could! 

Thursday was his 1 year old check up.  They're still not doing vaccines on him.  Feel the risk is too high (and this is a VERY pro vaccine doctor).  He was 19 pounds 2 ounces and was 28 inches long. 

Friday was a trip to the GI.  After much talk to him, I feel like Manny's issues are GI related since food often triggers them.  But he feels this is not the case.  He said there was this one thing we could do and we'd know right away.  The next time he's in an episode, I can immediately vent him.  (For those not familiar with gube, this is where I take a tube and connect it to his button.  I then take a syringe and pull out the gas/stomach contents.)  If it is an issue with his nissen fundoplication, this will immediately take away all his pain and he'll stop.  Good to know.  But he truly felt these were some type of abnormal seizures too.  (sigh)  And afterwards, it was "Cow Appreciation Day" at Chick-fil-a.  Basically if you dress up like a cow, you get a free combo. Can't pass that up as a family of 8!  Not many pics came out. 

Saturday was another HORRIBLE day with the baby.  We were out and he started on his episodes.  We've never been out before during this and whew!  Dan had Jacob and I had the other kids.  I texted him what was going on and where we were and they came and met us in the parking lot.  He just had episode after episode.  Thinking about what the GI said, I vented him.  And to my shock, not much gas came out, but almost ALL of his formula did!  The reason this is significant?  I put in about 6 ounces and pulled out 5 ounces...  over 2 hours after the feeding had stopped.  That should have been LONG GONE!  Ah-haaa!  I think we discovered the issue.  I've found gastroparesis might explain some of it.  Even the fact that sometimes this happens, sometimes it doesn't ... very unpredictable. 

Sunday - clean, decorate for the party, church, decorate the cake.  Jacob's party. 

Monday - Visit to WIC ... he's on ready to feed infant formula.  They give me enough to last about 15 days and the rest is up to me.  VERY expensive!  The GI wants him switched to Pediasure.  So I take in the form the GI signed with the amounts he wants.  Of course, they won't cover all of this either.  (But it's closer, thankfully.) 

Today - Busch Gardens with friends Bruce and Snooks.  It was great having them with us since there are rides the kids want to do but can't since I can't go with them (who would watch the baby).  So Snooks kindly watched him as we rode various rides.  Thanks guys!! You're awesome. 

OK ... so that's the catch-up post!  I'll try to do better with this blogging thing. 

Finally, I wanted to let you all know about the adoption fund ... the chip in (middle right column).  I know it only reflects $200 ... but several people have sent checks or given me cash.  The actual total is $580 towards the adoption fund.  Thanks!!