cardiology update

 Ivy's cardiology visit was Thursday. She had no weight gain, and since she was fully dressed this time, I think it is probably likely that she lost a few ounces. She has been eating really well, getting lots of calories, but still no gain. Her cardiologist feels she really needs fat to get her to gain, and he has a gut feeling that our special girl is again about to stun the doctors and her parents. She just seems to like surprising people :) It is not normal that a baby who has had the surgery she had and the length of time on ECMO and all the times she was intubated get off the feeding tube so soon. 70% of the kids with complicated cases like hers are tube fed for 4-6 months minimum. Ivy was eating before we left the hospital. She doesn't have a great deal of energy (this too is normal based on what she has endured), she has to be bribed with chocolate to get her to travel in any way, but she is full of surprises when it comes to her eating. Her echo revealed that she is nice and dry.. so they decided to put her on a 2 week trial. Up to 25 grams of fat until next Thursday, then UNLIMITED fat until the following Thursday! She will then have another chest X-ray and we will see right away if there is fluid around the lungs or not. If there is, then they will give her medication to counteract the effects of the short term fat introduction. If there is not then baby girl is free to eat whatever she wants!!! Either way, the next 2 weeks are ours to run with. And let me just say, Ivy has not stopped eating!!  It's her favorite activity!

                                                                          iphone photos

                           Enough sweetness to last a lifetime!