Inpatient & Surgery Consult

Our recent visit with the gastroenterologist confirmed our fears, Clark hasn't gained an ounce in over 3 months.  The next step in this journey (battle, however you'd like to look at it) is a gastric feeding tube, otherwise known as a "g button" or just "button".  It's a tube that is placed in his stomach that gives us feeding access directly through his stomach, bypassing his mouth.

This is an example of a button

In a sense, provided everything goes smoothly, this will be a blessing to us.  We will be able to supply Clark with all of the calories he needs to grow and catch up; and he will still be able to eat whatever he'd like by mouth.  On the other hand, it is just one more bump/detour in the road to "normalcy".  Right now I'm at the crossroads of relief and considerable anxiety over the situation.  The button placement will require surgery and a several-day hospital stay while he recovers & while we learn to feed him by tube.  We won't know until next week what the surgery date will be.

Next Monday, he will be admitted for a pH Probe test.  This is where they drop a tube down his nose (I say good luck with that) to test for reflux or GERD, in technical terms.  Adults generally refer to this as "heartburn".  The purpose of testing for reflux is to determine if he will need a Nissen fundoplication, in addition to installing the button.  A fundoplication is where the upper part of the stomach is cut and wrapped around the lower part of the esophagus, with the intent of preventing reflux.  We, at all costs, would like to avoid a fundo.

I am 99% sure that Clark does not have reflux issues, as he has no outward signs of having it.  We're praying intensely that a fundo is not indicated in all of this, it is a very serious and irreversible procedure that is extremely invasive.  So, if you're praying for us, please focus on that.  It is likely that even if it is indicated, I will refuse it and opt to treat the reflux with medication.  But, I'm not anticipating there will be a reflux issue.

He has his surgery consultation next Tuesday and we will be able to learn more about everything then.  Until then, we will continue to pray and hope that Clark will eat and gain, even though the surgery is a certainty at this point.  We appreciate all of your prayers, thoughts & kindness.  Also, you've been so loving towards us and we can't tell you how much that means.