Little Zoey is doing just wonderful! After her study two wednesdays ago we found out that two ends of Zoey's esophagus were about two and half vertebral bodies apart. We need it to be at two or less to have surgery. So THANK YOU GOD, we are almost there!
Another study will be done in about two and half weeks, with the intent to do surgery if the two ends are close enough by then. Both Surgeons were very optimistic (if we could get her on the right track and growing) that we will be able to have the surgery done.
When they did the last study they found out why Zoey's button was leaking so much, the ballon that fills up at the end of the button to hold it in place was almost completely blocking off the part of the stomach where the food exits into her intestines. So it took her much longer to digest food because it passed through so slowly, and by her next feeding her stomach had not had time to empty, and more milk being pushed on top of what was already in there was what kept causing the leakage. However, another new button has been put in, this time one with a shorter stem so that it doesn't block off that exit as much. As of now her leaking has almost completely stopped! We also had a wound care team from the hospital come take a look at the skin around Zoey's button, and they gave the nurses a special spray/powder concoction to put around it. It has improved 1000%!!! I am so happy about it! She doesn't even fuss or cry or anything when you touch it or clean it, and it is now just a very pale pale pink instead of a bright angry red!
When they took her off of the IV last week she steadily lost weight for a few days. This had Stewart and myself pretty concerned, but the neonatoligst assured us that is was more then likely fluid weight from the IV that was exiting her system. They went ahead and put Zoey on continuous feeds instead of of a 2 hour feeding every three hours. This way the food would have time to exit the stomach and not so much was getting pushed in at one time. This means she is getting fed 24/7 but she is back up to full feeds and getting 27 calories per ounce plus they have added micro lipids to her feedings. Since Monday Zoey has gone from 6lbs 7.5 oz to 6lbs 15.3 oz as of last night! They are only weighing her every 24 hours so by 8:30 tonight we should know if Zoey has finally reached 7lbs! It seems like it has taken forever to get here but I know this roller coaster ride that we've been on since March will be all worth it when we finally get to have our little family together for the first time.
This is what Zoey's button looked like before, and what it looks like now, after the wound care team has been looking after it!
BEFORE AFTER
Poor Zoey, you know that had to hurt so bad!
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