Update

I can't believe how much time has passed since our last post. I hope that you enjoyed the video.

Lots of things have happened since our last update.

Mason is continuing to do really well. At our last appointment, he weighed a little over 14 pounds! Still not on the growth chart, but he is starting to gain some ground and will be catching up soon. A few weeks back, Mason's formula was changed a bit to contain 26 calories/ounce. We will see the results of this new change when he is weighed at his next Pediatrician appointment in a couple of weeks.

Mason also joined the g-button club with his other CDH buddies. He received his button about a week ago but seems to be having a little diffuculty tolerating the switch. The button takes up a little more room in his stomach and some of his bolus feeds are causing him to retch. So far, we have been able to control it with some extra venting before and after each bolus.

We are still plugging along on oral feeds. It is slow progress, but still progress! He now eats at least twice a day and can take up to 1/2 a jar of baby food in each sitting (if he is having a really good day). Most days it is about 1/4 jar of food each sitting. He is also experimenting with a sippy cup. He grabs it by the handles and puts the spout in his mouth, but just chews on the spout. A little liquid comes out when he munches, and he is still trying to get used to this. Mason certainly has a fear of liquid in his mouth. He most likely associates it with the pain of reflux that he experienced prior to his last surgery.

Teething has been the way of life for him the last couple of weeks. He has two teeth on the bottom that have broken the surface of his gums. Now we are just waiting for them to come out a little more so that we can take a picture of his new pearly whites!

Physcial Therapy for his neck is now scheduled for once per month. He is still tipping his head to the right, but seems to have a greater range of motion. We are still stretching it out every day, multiple times. He is also receiving therapy through the school system at home once per week. Mason is able to do a little more on his belly, so tummy time is getting a little easier. He is now able to reach out for toys in front of him and he can even do brief push-ups. He can still stand really well and has even started to initiate steps on his own. His legs are now more limber and he is very close to being able to hold his foot in his hands for brief periods of time. Pretty soon he will be sucking on his toes!

At our last Pulmonary appointment, Mason was taken off of his Sodium supplements and was given a 2 night trial without oxygen. The docs were able to record these nights with a machine that tracks his pulse and oxygen levels. They are currently looking that the data, but preliminary feedback is that Mason might not be quite ready to come off at night yet. We may need to keep him on oxygen at night until April. We did recieve some great news that if Mason keeps up the weight gain, at his next weight in, we will be able to eliminate his diuretics. The docs were also really pleased with his latest chest x-ray. Given the severity of his CDH (he really didn't have any right lung and a small left lung), his lungs are growing really well. The doc said that by looking at his x-ray, you would never know how severe his condtion was at birth. We were really excited by the news!

Unfortunately both Travis and I came down with a cold last week. We fought off sickness as long as week could, but it found one of us and spread. Mason is showing signs of catching the cold as well. He doesn't have a runny nose, but seems to be coughing more than usual and was running a low grade fever this morning. The Pulmonary docs have us giving him some extra breathing treatments and that seems to have helped quiet his cough. So far his sat's are great and he does not seem to be in any respiratory distress. Hopefully he can fend it off!

Check out Mason's photo gallery, I have added lots of pictures!