What the hell is bolus anyway?

Hi there kids,

I have had another good day of development and growth.  But first I need to speak a word about my living conditions.  Since my move I have noticed a disturbing trend with my neighbors.  First the fact that they are all girls is bad enough, but they cry all of the time.  Elizabeth (on my left) literally is crying the entire time she isn't held or have a pacifier in.  The nurses now prop a pacifier into her mouth using a rubber ball usually reserved for sucking boogies out of our little noses...Yeah, she's that needy.

I miss the days Wyatt and I could lay around and watch Sportscenter.


I'm helping Mom relax.

Medically I feel like I am on a little bit more of an uptick.  I have graduated from the silly continuous feeds, and am onto bolus feeding.  This is big boy eating now, while they are still cramming cheeseburgers down the little tube in my nose, it is happening every three hours in larger increments.  Right now they have me on 15 mL for each feeding (about 0.5 ounces).  Three times a day I also get to have this by bottle.  While we are also on the subject of the cheeseburger tube (or gavage) they have pulled it back a little bit from my upper intestines, and left it just in my tummy now.



Sometimes I still have a little trouble with eating from the bottle as I would rather nap.  It is definately exhausting to eat, but afterward I love to burp loud enough to make my Aunt Katie proud!




I have also gained a little bit of weight and am now weighing in at 4 pounds 7.5 ounces.  Everything else is going reasonable well,  no serious issues with the kidneys, and the brain and chest still look good.  I have a slight heart murmur, but they think that will pass.  I hope to be off the TPN by the end of the week, and possibly remove my PICC line by next Monday, but we will see how things go in the mean time.

I also may get moved to a big boy bed as I will be better able to control my own temperature with more food.  I am keeping my young tiny fingers crossed.

Yours adventurously,
Patrick