So...things are moving right along since we came home last Friday.  We are so thankful each night to have Charity here in our home, and we never stop giving thanks that she is alive and doing well.

With that said, we are definitely having our share of bumps in the road and mishaps with the G-tube!  I think maybe we have done just about everything wrong that one can do with a G-tube, but..maybe not?  We have squirted ourselves with medicine instead of making it into the tube, run the pump without everything attached, and forgotten to close the little "doors" or ports before starting things.  Our biggest mishap was last night - no one knows for sure what happened, since we might be a little sleep deprived, but around 6am, the beeper went off telling us her food was all gone.  It was all gone for sure, out of the tube, but most of it never made it into her tummy as it was covering her and the bed.  It appeared that some of her previously digested food also found its way out onto the bed...

Good times with the Gouldings!  All in all, the G-tube hasn't been too hard and even though we are trying to make all of the mistakes in the first week, we are glad that it is working out so well and feel fairly confident that eventually we will get the hang of it all!

Charity is recovering well in all ways except for her bladder.  She has been having increased difficulty urinating.  We find this especially true during the night.  She wiggles around and fusses until she is able to pee-pee.  She relaxes, smiles and goes back to sleep.  This makes for disrupted sleep for Will and I, as well as Charity, so we are hoping to move our urinary tract testing  up a bit.  She is adjusting back to home happily and enjoys being around the noise and glad times again.

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Posted by Cousin Truda

We love the updates and are so happy Charity is home again. I'm amazed at all you're handling!!!! Sending a prayer for peace, perseverance, and continued healing. Hugs, Truda

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Posted by Anonymous

Your doing Awesome!!!!!! Good to have such a wonderful sense of humor! : ) xoxoxoxo
"[The Lord] said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
In the worst of times, God is our best source of strength.

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Posted by Stephanie Skelly

I am so impressed with your efficiency! ;*)... I think it took us about a month before we figured out most of the things we could do wrong with James' g-tube (lol)! That, of course, is not to say that we didn't repeat the errors a few times each before we figured it out!

Even with two years' experience, James' medicine port will open up at night (due to rubbing on the bed, perhaps?) and leak all his 'feeds' and whatever might have been in his tummy. (Eeew).

As he has gotten more able, he has opened the medicine port too. He doesn't do that so much any more (I don't think he likes the results any more than we do), however, he will occasionally turn the pump off!, and then with signs, instruct us that he is 'all done' and we should disconnect the pump!

Just so you know, we do still have mishaps on occasion and if we have to be out with the pump, we carry a few changes of clothes in the diaper bag!

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Posted by callmekate

Oh, I'm so sorry for all the difficulties. But know that you are being prayed for. Perhaps, with practice and patience, all will go smoothly soon. Hang in there!

- Kate

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Posted by Anonymous

Well, I'm sure with time you all will get it right with the G-tube. So glad she is home for you all to enjoy. Never stop praising God and thanking Him for His goodness! God Bless, have a great week!
-Narobi

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Posted by Tricia M.

There's a definite learning curve. We had some of the same mishaps and a few others. Since we fed by gravity, we had to hold the feeding syringe during the feed. The higher up it is held, the faster it goes in... Anyway, SEVERAL times, the syringe came disconnected from the port. Not much fun in the middle of the night!!

It did have its advantages with an infant, though! I think most new mothers wish they could just fill up the tank without actually *waking* the baby. That is just what we were able to do! She never woke up from hunger in the middle of the night! :)

You're doing great! :)

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