Celebrating Inchstones: Scootn'

Monday, February 22, 2010

Scootn'

Asa usually has a tough time after school. I don't know if it is the transition or what but he usually gets sick and clingy. And I don't really have time to baby him. I need to give the other kids attention after school. They are excited about their day and I have to deal with Asa's melt down instead of listen to them. Then there is homework to be done and supper to cook. Just not a lot of fun around here. Usually!

Things have been improving though. I started running the feed while we are in the car picking up the kids from school. Maybe having something on his tummy helps out. I try my best to get him to take a nap before so he isn't tired but sometimes that isn't successful! Still he has done pretty well last week and then today too. Of course that will likely change tomorrow! :) We don't get too comfortable around here!

Today we got in and Asa was so happy! He was scooting all over the place. Having a great time all on his own. Really, it was amazing!!! In between homework and supper I was so tired I couldn't keep my eyes open. Gracie was doing some extra writing practice and Asa was playing near her, so I laid over on the couch and closed my eyes. Maybe for 10 minutes! But I woke up to Cade telling me to come look....not usually a good thing! Asa had scooted from the kitchen into the living room, around the back of the couch, into the hallway and into Cade's room!! Then he pulled over Cade's trashcan and was playing with an empty soda can!! I can't believe he scooted that far! Or that he was that adventurous! His desire to explore and play is a good thing....it hasn't always been that way! Oh, and Anna said she was watching the whole thing so he wasn't unsupervised while I slept on the couch! And I wouldn't dare lay over if we were home alone! Just so ya know I'm not neglectful!! LOL

Tonight, Barry was rocking Asa to sleep and Asa started pointing at the side table. We were pretty sure he wanted Barry's glass of tea, he loves shaking the ice! But Barry didn't budge. So Asa pointed again and then pushed Barry's hand towards the table!! DUH, Daddy! Barry gave him the puke cup we keep there. Asa pushed Barry's hand and the cup away. Then he pointed and pushed Barry's hand again!! He is definitely getting good at being understood, words or not!!

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Asa's story

Asa is the 4th and youngest in this family. We thought he'd come into this world and our lives would flow right along as it had the other 3 times we brought babies into this world.

We were wrong! After a normal pregnancy and delivery, Asa had to be sent to the NICU because he wasn't sucking, blood sugar dropping, floppy muscles, exaggerated startle reflex and jaundice.

He stayed 5 days were he learned to suck and eat enough to come home. He began nursing well but would scream in pain 30 minutes after each feeding. He had so much mucus and drooled so much. He had a terrible rash on his face. He wasn't making eye contact and was not hitting any milestones.

I kept taking him to the pediatrician but got nowhere until his 2 month checkup when he had only gained one pound since birth. That earned him an appt with a pediatric GI and a change to Neocate formula. Odd gasping spells and eye rolling got him into a pediatric neurologist before the GI appt. The neurologist (he was actually the head of the pediatric neurology dept) personally walked us over to the GI clinic and sat us in an exam room. That kinda makes you worry! That is when we really got the ball rolling. Asa was 3 months old.

At 4 months he was admitted to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. He stayed 8 days and had a NG tube inserted so we could feed him directly into his stomach. He kept this for 2 months. Also during this time he had an EEG, CT scan, MRI, upper GI endoscopy with biopsy, flex sig, numerous blood tests, a genetics consult, and an ophthalmology consult and many other pokes and prods! So began our relationship with specialist!!

After 2 months on the NG tube, we removed it and tried to get Asa to eat enough to gain weight. He did OK for a little while but by 9 months old, he was fighting each feeding and not gaining weight despite being on Neocate formula at 30cal/oz. The decision was made to have a G-tube put in. The G-tube is a feeding tube that is inserted directly into Asa's belly. He can eat orally but won't so he gets feed into his belly.

Since he was going to have to be sedated for the surgery, it was agreed he should have a muscle biopsy at the same time. By 9 months he had finally began making eye contact. He smiled some but not very social. He was still very hypotonic (floppy) and didn't even have head control. Something was obviously going on with his muscles. All of his brain scans had been normal.

In Nov. 2008, when Asa was 13 months old, we found out the results of the muscle biopsy. Yes, it took 3+ months to get all of the results! He was diagnosed with Mitochondrial Myopathy. He is deficient in Complex IV for all of you medical junkies out there.

What this means is that his cells can't make enough energy to fuel his body....specifically for him, his muscles and GI system, that we know of. If his body has to burn energy to fight off infection, or a stress, then he looses energy in another system. Mito is a progressive disease with no treatment or cure. We try to keep him as healthy and happy as possible. We use the feeding tube to keep him feed so he doesn't have to struggle there. He takes numerous supplements and vitamins in the hope that they will keep him cells healthier. We check his eyes, hearing, heart, kidneys, liver, brain and lots of blood work yearly. Mito can affect any system so it is important to have baseline and watch for changes. He has a GI, neuro, geneticist, optometrist, ophthalmologist, cardiologist, developmental ped, regular ped and a mito specialist.

He gets OT, PT, speech/feeding and a home teacher weekly. He has some sensory issues with touch, sound, taste and texture. This plays into almost all areas of our lives! He is still very hypotonic but gained head control at just over a year (right after we started supplements!). He learned to sit when placed in a sitting position at 18 months. He still can't get into sitting alone. He learned to bottom scoot at just over 2. He does not crawl or walk.

He knows the signs for "moma", "daddy", "more" and "all done". He can show them when prompted but we are still waiting for him to initiate. He waves "bye-bye" and points all the time now. He loves to take a bath and water in general. He has a contagious laugh and can flash the most flirty grin ever!

We learned, with Asa, not take the small things for granted. Each smile, sound, word, bite or even trouble!! You just never know when they might not be so easy to come by or even if you'll have them at all!