How a g-tube comes out...

If you are a curious reader and/or a new parent of a little person with a g-tube. You might have some image in your head of how traumatic it might be when the button pops out accidentally. We used to lose sleep over the possibility. I mean it's in his stomach, right? Surely there is pain, screaming and crying, stomach juice oozing, flailing panicking caretakers. Right? Well that's what we imagined... until it happened the first time. The first time it popped out as Jacob was being put in the crib for a nap and the tube extension got caught on the railing. He didn't even wake up. For real, slept through the whole thing.

This is a picture of the most recent incident which happened a several weeks ago. Jacob was crawling across the floor to get to a book. Grandma walked out of the room for merely seconds to get her glass of water. She came back to this scene. Yes, yes. That little thing in the foreground is supposed to be in his stomach and not on the floor.

This is exactly how much drama actually accompanies the g-tube coming out.

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So everyone can rest easy. Thought you'd like to know.

 

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Therapy Check-in

Time flies and flies and flies. Jacob is almost 3 (3!). In our world that means we are at a point where his therapy may change. The local programs can provide in home services until children are 5 but at 3 there is the option to move to a school based program. This would be our entry into the world of IEPs. We have a meeting this week with Jacob's 'team' to discuss which option we will take - extend home services another year (called an extended IFSP) or chose the IEP route.

I would be lying if I conveyed that this meeting was well planned and coordinated and that we feel prepared. Not exactly. It is coming together -well- mostly due to a lot of phone calls last week figuring it out and due to the good graces of Jacob's therapists who are providing their updates to the 'team' on short notice (so that we won't be having the mtg with assessments that are six months old) as well as giving us a lot of good advice, as are other parents and friends.

In either scenario, Jacob's therapy continues and he does such a great job - working so hard all the time. Sometimes there are tears and sometimes there are giggles but the progress is clear and when reading reports from just six months ago compared to the updates today it is all the more obvious.

Six months ago stacking three blocks was a goal that we we're working toward and hadn't yet met. Last week he stacked six by himself. And not the big ones, the little ones!

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(stacking the colored cups is a little more fun)

Six months ago we were working on pulling to stand *with* assistance. Now he can pull to stand on his own. Six months ago we were working on standing vertically at a support without leaning. Now not only can he stand without leaning but he can stand vertically with very minimal support while also doing a task!

Like drawing...

Or reaching (up high!) and pulling sticky strings off the wall and throwing them into a bucket...

 

(Elmo helps)

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I'd love to post a video of that last one but it's way too long. That end of the counter was covered and he picked those suckers off one by one like a pro and got every single one in the bucket.

Good good stuff.

 

 

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Foto Fabulous Friday (and Spring!)

If Spring doesn't come to you, go to Spring.

(Or a botanical garden in which Spring is happening regardless of the outdoor weather).

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Happy Friday!

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Semi-Famous. Of course...

Jacob's grandma entered a photo contest sponsored by the manufacturer of the orthotics (SureStep) that he wears. And her entry was selected!!
In return she gets bragging rights and Mr. Jacob gets to be featured in well known periodicals like 'lower extremity review'. (That's was me being funny. Unless, of course, you are a physical therapist and then there is a chance you have seen this publication).

Link to website

Nice photo Grandma! Jacob approves.

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