Yea, MIC-KEY

This was Hayden's original feeding tube. He now has a port that we attached the tubing to.

With all of Hayden's tests coming back fine, there wasn't much more they could do for us at the hospital, so they let us go home around 5pm on Thursday. Hayden's GI doc, Dr. DiMeo, came by to see how Hayden's vomiting was. It was less than at home, but we aren't in our normal routine and he isn't being moved around as much. There's only so much we can do in the hospital. He said that he was going to double Hayden's Prevacid. He now gets 30mg in the morning instead of 15mg; the maximum dose for his weight. Instead of waiting for our May 6th appt, to change out Hayden's peg feeding tube for the MIC-KEY. Whoo hoo! No more tube hanging from him to constantly obsess about. With that tube, it was impossible to do anything with Hayden without making sure you knew were the tube was first. What a pain!! The MIC-KEY is a port that we attach the tubing to when he is fed. No more obsessing about the tubing. Thank you Dr. DiMeo! I felt horrible for my sweet baby when he ripped the peg tube out of his belly, leaving a hole in his belly where the tube once was. That really had to hurt. He taught me how to put in the new MIC-KEY so I would know how to do it in case it came out, or needed to be replaced for any reason. Yes, this is now one of my new nursing skills. I am really dreading replacing the tube, but I am confident that I will be able to do it when the time arises.

I also discussed with Dr.DiMeo what was left to do if the Prevacid didn't work. He said Nissen Fundoplication, where the top part of the stomach is wrapped around the lower espohageal sphincter to strengthen it so that he can't reflux anymore. We have some concerns with this as I have read many stories that kids who get a fundoplication can no longer vomit or burp. I can't imagine this. Would this result really be better than vomiting 3 times a day? He reassured me that it is only meant to prevent effortless vomiting. If he really had to vomit, he could. I know he has the feeding tube that he can be burped through, but it is my dream one day that he will get rid of the feeding tube. If that wasn't bad enough, the other option is worse. The next option is to snake his feeding tube down into his intestines bypassing his stomach all together. The major problem with this so far is that he would have to be hooked up to a feeding pump 24 hours a day! That is a nightmare in so many ways! It appears that the projectile vomiting and the retching caused the lower esophageal sphincter to weaken even more. Please pray the Prevacid works, we are trying to spare our son a 13th surgery. Thank you!