Let's start with the good...Austin uneventfully got his Broviac (IV access) removed in a very small surgery on June 21st! The next day, our family participated in the Walk for Amazing to support Children's Hospitals of Minnesota! We raised over $500 for Austin's Team! Special thank you to those of you who donated and Brian's family who was able to walk with us! It was a great day!
Max is doing great and loving summer outdoors! He started gymnastics and is also loving it! He does gymnastics with cousin Gavin and has filled our Thursday's with fun at Grammy and Call Papa's house afterwards for a little #TumblingThursdays!
I'll spare you a bunch of details and get you caught up quickly! Diarrhea and vomiting has gotten Austin 3 hospital stays in the past 10 days. The first 2 stays were gut rest and slowly restarting his feeding schedule (both in the tube and orally). This provided temporary improvement, but ultimately, the symptoms returned. So at midnight last night we found ourselves back in the Children's ER. This time around Minnesota GI is following him (Dr. Kennedy and Abby) and were in this morning. The plan to give him gut rest has not changed, but this time Dr. Kennedy has ordered Flagyl. Flagyl is an antibiotic. She is thinking that because Austin doesn't have an ileocecal valve (it was resected with the small bowel in the Fall after his volvulus), bacteria that is suppose to stay in the colon has snuck it's way into the bowel. The ileocecal valve is located between the bowel and the colon and helps prevent backflow. Symptoms of this happening are gas, diarrhea, bloated tummy and can cause some vomiting.
So, now we are forced to be patient and let Austin lead the way! We won't be going home until he is back to his "normal" which may mean we are here for a few days! Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers as Brian and I continue to learn the idiosyncrasies of having a little one with Short Bowel Syndrome. We certainly have a large learning curve!
I'll post brief daily updates while we are here, but assume no news is good news! Austin is a trooper and we have no doubt he will be making lightening speed progress again soon!
Love,
Tara and Brian
Max and Austin
Gosh darn it! So sad that Austin had a setback. Dr Kennedy is such a good doctor. I know they’ll figure this out and he’ll be back at it! Prayers for Austin’s healing.
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