Stepniowski Family » health

So long tonsils & adenoids

jenn — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:27:05 +0000

Poor Aidan was once again called to the operation table… only this time it was to remove his tonsils and adenoids.

It’s been a couple of years since our pediatrician started warning of his enlarged tonsils, and I admit that the poor kid always seemed to have a runny nose and cough. Sinus infections get nasty and require weeks of antibiotics, not to mention the x-ray of his head to confirm the diagnosis.

The Pediatric Surgery Center we went to was so much better than the hospital environment we dealt with before. It’s no surprise that Luke and I were dreading the whole thing because of what happened last time. Holding Aidan down to get his temperature and doping him up just to get him into the room would make anyone sweat! But, we were pleasantly surprised by our little man’s bravery. He went in without any protest and handled everything like a pro. In fact, the whole procedure only took two hours from start to finish. We were there at 2pm and home by 4:30pm.

Dr. Orabello confirmed that his tonsils and adenoids were both very large. So, we expect some dramatic improvements once we get through recovery. Who knew that adenoids grew back though?… strange!

The days that followed have not been pleasant. Aidan has been reluctant to drink or eat anything and has become seriously constipated from the codeine. He was supposed to drink 6-8 8oz glasses of fluid each day and we’ve been lucky to get a few sips out of him. Once he gets the codeine, he’s so doped up that he pretty much just sits on the couch like a zombie watching television. If I never see Magic Schoolbus again, it will be too soon!

There was a little ray of hope this evening when he hate some dinner and drank a glass of Gatorade. And, we resolved the poop problem quickly with a pediatric laxative suppository. Surprisingly, Aidan didn’t put a fight over the whole suppository installation!

Anyway, I’m ready for Aidan to start bouncing off walls and talking non-stop again. It’s just been too weird with him laying on the couch all puffy eyed and pitiful!

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Skye’s 9 Month Check-Up

jenn — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:50:10 +0000

Skye’s nine month check-up was actually last week, but I’ve been spending too much time updating Twitter to focus on Majjix posts…lol

But, seriously, it’s so hard to believe that my little girl is almost a year old. And, she seems to be perfect in every way. She’s crawling around, waving hello, clapping, lifting herself up and getting into as much trouble as she possible can. The “trouble” part was inevitable considering her genetic make-up. Neither Skye nor Aidan were going to be able to escape that one!

At nine months, Skye weighs 17.5lbs, which puts her in the 50th percentile. She’s also 28″, which puts her in the 90th percentile for height. Of course, they can’t really predict height until they’re two but she is getting pretty up there.

I’ve got some video that I’m hoping to post soon. And, I admit we have been slacking on the updated photos. It seems so much easier to snap shots with the iPhone rather than lug around a hefty camera all the time! Since Skye isn’t big on strollers and still insists on being held, taking photos is especially difficult.

As for life in general with Skye, it’s getting much easier. We tried taking her off the Zantac but ended up going back on it. It seems she’s still got some reflux issues. And, she’s getting up once a night which is mostly my fault. I could let her soothe herself back to sleep, but I know she’ll want to wake up for real around 4am and that’s just not cool. I’m already addicted to Benadryl just to get 4-5 hours a sleep a night so I don’t need to be waking up that early!

Wherever we take her, she’s just as well behaved as she could be… I mean, that’s much different from Aidan who used to be a real screamer. But, Aidan never went for socket plugs and stereo equipment either so it’s a toss-up as to which one is preferred.

All in all, she’s a keeper… And, I can’t wait for her birthday! She really is our little princess, even though I said I would never say that and dress her in pink all the time.

Skye's 4 Month Check-Up

Skye's 6 Month Check-Up

The New & Improved Skye

Skye's 6 Month Check-Up

jenn — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:26:21 +0000

Skye went for her immunizations yesterday and a little check-up. It's hard to believe she's almost 16lbs now and 27" long. That puts her at about the 50 percentile for weight and then 90 for height. Although, they say you can't predict anything with height until they're two anyway.

Everything went very smoothly. I did explain to Dr. Hoyos about the continued spitting up and he convinced me to finally try the Similac Sensitive formula. He's actually suggested that several times, but I stayed with Earth's Best milk-based organic as long as possible. If it's a lactose sensitivity, I should know right away. Oh, and he made kind of a good point about the corn syrup I was worried about. It turns out the brain runs off glucose, which we can't actually make ourself and must get from food. Corn syrup serves this purpose and should not be confused with high fructose corn syrup which actually requires a lot of additional processing that may or may not be so good for you. He also pointed out that we were raised on Similac and don't have any serious issues… or, is that true?

Anway, I bribed Aidan to come along with us by letting him play the DS all the way there and back. His addiction to video games is insane… but, he is so focused and dedicated that I somehow feel it must be better than watching television. A half an hour of DS time is worth almost anything to Aidan. I've got him practicing and writing two sight words each day and spending a little time outside. I guess it's kind of a win-win.

Skye’s 9 Month Check-Up

Skye's 4 Month Check-Up

From Boob to Bottle

jenn — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:05:03 +0000

Much unlike Aidan, Skye made the transition from boob to bottles effortlessly. I'm about a week earlier than I had planned, but the opportunity presented itself so I took it before she changed her mind. I do have to admit my boobs are not very happy about the situation. I'm hoping they "adjust" very quickly. Oh, I just can't wait for them to "deflate" and have gravity take hold once again. But, my augmentation awaits me sometime next year… reduce and lift baby!

Of all the bottles, Born Free is the winner and most appealing to our little princess. I also got the Born Free training cups that I'll start using in the next few weeks. I had considered going straight to sippy cup but bailed out of fear that she wouldn't get enough to eat.

As for food, Skye just can't seem to get enough. Again, that's pretty much opposite of Aidan. She's tried oatmeal, rice cereal, bananas, pears, carrots, prunes and apples. Based on her expressions, I think apples are the current favorite. I'm also prepared to make my own baby food with a new food processor and freezer cups. But, the only motivation thus far has been to wash everything and get it setup. I admit it's convenient with Earth's Best products being sold in Publix now. I can remember having to order all of Aidan's food online.

Health wise, the Zantac seems to be working very well for Skye. She's not arching her back anymore during feedings. And, she's also sleeping much better as well. Although, she is still waking up a few times… but, that seems to be more because she gets herself trapped in the corner of the crib and can't move backwards yet.

She is still spitting up quite a bit… some days worse than others. But, I'm holding out on the "sensitive" formula based on the corn syrup facts noted previously. I really want to stick with the Earth's Best if at all possible.

So, while I'm happy we've gotten over the transition hurdle, I'm also sad that I'll be losing the bonding experience. And, that part is just kind of difficult to express in words.

Skye’s Reflux & Aidan’s Cough

jenn — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:56:50 +0000

Fowling in Aidan’s steps, it has become clear that Skye is having reflux issues. At first, the signs were subtle. I noticed she was starting to spit up quite a bit. By quite a bit, I mean she was spitting up puddles anytime you laid her down and some of the time when you were just holding her. It seemed excessive. Then, I noticed she was whining a little when I fed her and then also started arching her back during feedings as well. It was all too familiar… Aidan went through the exact same thing, except he was a little more “verbal” about the whole thing.

I took her to see Dr. Hoyos, and he has started her on 1ml of Zantac three times per day. I’ve decided twice a day is better, so I’m going with that for a while to make sure she’s handling it OK. You just hate to give an infant any kind of medication unless it’s totally necessary. We don’t expect the Zantac to reduce the amount of spit-up, but it should reduce the amount of acid she is producing and make her a little more comfortable. I’m giving her a little bit of cereal or fruit after each feeding to try and “weigh down” the breast milk. I haven’t actually done any weaning to bottles yet, but I’m working on it. They actually have bottles that feel more like boobs now, so I’m going to try one of those and see if she’ll cooperate any better. I wanted to give her a little break and make sure things were going OK with the reflux relief plan.

Interestingly, there’s a link between lactose sensitivity and reflux which I’m somewhat concerned with. She did exhibit signs of eczema when I was eating dairy in the early days. I’ve since stopped and have seen the eczema disappear. But, all formulas except for the Earth’s Best Organic milk-based have corn syrup solids and sugar as the primary ingredients. So, I’m not comfortable feeding her sugar water either. It’s no wonder kids grow up addicted to sugar… we start them out on it and get them hooked! If I don’t see the reflux improve in the next few days, I’ll consider switching to a more “sensitive” formula. I’m not interested in going the soy route yet.

As for Aidan, that poor kid got his cough back. He’s had it for about a month but didn’t seem that affected by it. Hoyos prescribed some more Albuterol, which is what relieved it last time. He also came home from school last Friday after puking up his lunch and then later followed that up with a regurgitation of his crackers. On Sunday, he puked all over papa at the pool. Hoyos says it’s probably related to the drainage since there are no other signs of infection, like a fever or runny nose.

It’s been such a fun week… all I can hope for is that the meds work quickly enough for Aidan to stop coughing and Skye to stop being in so much pain. With her feeling better, maybe she’ll start sleeping better, which will also result in me sleeping better. Ah… now, that’s a nice thought!

Aidan holds Skye

Skye's 4 Month Check-Up

Skye Eats Cereal – Aidan is a Rock Star

Skye's 4 Month Check-Up

jenn — Tue, 12 May 2009 02:59:44 +0000

Skye met with Dr. Hoyos today for her four month check-up. She's 14lbs and 25" long now, which puts here right in the 50 percentile. In the next week or so, I'm hoping to start her on some oatmeal. We're skipping the rice cereal for now because of her eczema and chance she might be sensitive to it. We'll do fruits next, and I think I'm going to give home brewing a try. I've got some Earth's Best jars just in case, but pureeing can't be that hard… we'll see, I guess.

So, aside from the four shots she got in her legs, the visit was quite pleasant.

I'm also determined to get her into her own bed at night and start weaning her off the boob. I said I'd go six months, so I've got a little time there. The bottle section of Babies R' Us was a little overwhelming today. I don't remember there being so many choices with Aidan. What I do remember is his solid protest against anything superficial. I think Skye will be remarkably similar.

Skye’s 9 Month Check-Up

Skye's 6 Month Check-Up

From Boob to Bottle

CCFA Take Steps 2009 – Team GottaGo!

jenn — Tue, 05 May 2009 16:36:42 +0000

Well, the day finally arrived when it was time to walk for a cause. I’ve always thought the idea of a fundraising walk was pretty cool, so I admit I jumped at the chance to be involved with one that was related to Crohn’s. I actually signed up before Skye was born, so my participation in the fundraising part was limited due to my skewed expectation of how much time being a new mom would take. But, my mom really took off with a passion soliciting everyone we knew. She was even diligent about follow-up when checks weren’t promptly submitted. I admire her passion about the whole thing and now see that she has a natural ability to raise capital when necessary. My strategy was just to send out an email and then hope people would reciprocate with a donation. At the end of the day, we did raise over $700. And, sincere appreciation goes out to those who helped us out.

Team GottaGo! included my mom, dad, Aunt Wanda, Cousin Ryan and friends Danielle and Karen. I decided to have Luke stay home with Skye, since she doesn’t do too well past 6pm. My mom and I had tie dyed some shirts for the team, which made us stand out quite nicely. No one will argue that I like to make an appropriate entrance! The walk took place in North Shore Park, in downtown St. Pete. The view of the water is really quite stunning there. When we arrived, they took our donations and gave us some tickets for food and t-shirts. Unfortunately, they didn’t plan very well and only had one size left. Aidan enjoyed the free light-up shaking things that stuck in my peripheral for most of the way home. My cousin pointed out something interesting about the food choices, in the sense that they were not exactly “digestive friendly”, if you know what I mean. And, the walk was in fact all about digestive issues. But, I guess free food is what it is, and I did eat my fair share.

The walk itself was really very easy, much to my delight. We were able to kind of stroll along and talk. The whole distance took less than an hour, and I was home by 10pm. It was definitely fun and well worth the experience. So, to conclude, I think it’s important to thank again all those that helped us out with their donations. And, an even larger appreciation goes out to those that dedicated both their time and money as part of Team GottaGo!. It certainly meant a lot that my aunt and cousin would drive all the way over from Tallahassee just to show their support. Ryan… you better get that colonoscopy!

Take Steps For Crohn's & Colitis – Team Gotta Go!

Aunt VJ & Aunt Pat Visit

2009 Resolutions

Skye’s tummy troubles

jenn — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:14:45 +0000

I finally broke down and took Skye to the doctor yesterday. Her continuous screaming throughout the day and early evening really had me wondering if there could be some serious health issue at play. Continuous crying during the day aside, she didn’t seem to be resting peacefully at night. I would hear her tossing and turning and making noises that seemed to indicate some sort of digestive distress. And, she would often wake up every 1-2 hours with pretty intense flatulence.

I’m glad that we decided to switch back to our original pediatrician. I’ve determined he’s worth the forty minute drive simply because of the care and time he takes each time we see him. After looking Skye over, he determined she was in fact full of air. And, that would even cause an otherwise healthy adult to want to cry I suppose. But, the kicker is that the air is likely being caused by my diet. So, he’s asked me to eliminate dairy, tomatoes, citrus, chocolate and peanuts. Now, I don’t have any problems with eliminating dairy, citrus and peanuts but I can say that it will be very difficult to quit eating pizza and pasta, not to mention how nearly impossible it is going to be to not eat chocolate. Also, Dr. Hoyos prescribed some drops (Levsin) that eliminates spasms in the intestines. He was confident we would see an improvement in 3-5 days if I followed his advice.

I do kind of feel bad that I waited so long to take her to the doctor. Aidan was also very “colicky”, but it turned out he had reflux. Once we had him on the right medication, he was a different baby altogether. But, he also spit up often and Skye doesn’t. Her symptoms seem very isolated to the abdominal area.

In any case, the past week or so hasn’t been the most stress-free time. While I understand her need to communicate when she’s not feeling well, a child that’s screaming for that long in your ear will tend to cause some anxiety. Things tend to be accelerated by a lack of sleep as well. But, we’re getting through it and I do see some relative improvement already.

Oh, it also turns out she’s eating too much. I’ve been asked to cut her back to every three hours now, which she hasn’t appreciated thus far. It’s kind of hard to believe she’s already 10.5 pounds, but I guess that’s what happens when you’re eating all the time. I think the poor thing was just trying to eat so she would feel better.

Further investigation into Skye’s symptoms seem to indicate a peak of digestive system distress at six weeks of age. And, significant improvement is often seen from there up through three-four months. She’s six weeks old today, so we should be looking at sunny days ahead.

Another positive aspect to this, aside from Skye feeling better of course, is that I should lose my last twenty pounds much quicker with such a restricted diet!

Tummy Time!

The New & Improved Skye

Skye’s Reflux & Aidan’s Cough

Take Steps For Crohn's & Colitis – Team Gotta Go!

jenn — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:53:02 +0000

Well, I'm proud to say that Luke and I have put together a team for the May 2nd Take Steps for Crohn's & Colitis Walk. Luke, as always, came up with a creative name… Gotta Go!. We're hoping that my parents will join us, along with some other friends and family.

Take Steps is a national walk organized by the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation (www.ccfa.org). It's actually the largest event dedicated to finding cures for digestive diseases. I've been a member of CCFA since my disease took a turn for the worst in 2006. As I've gotten older, I can see the importance in supporting organizations like this and want to do everything I can to help myself and others afflicted by these diseases. It should be an interesting event with Aidan and baby Skye in tow.

I still need to organize some things on their website, but our links are:

Personal Page: http://online.ccfa.org/goto/jstepnio

Team Page: http://online.ccfa.org/goto/gottago

You can even make donations online using the links above. We're hoping to raise at least $500, but I'm betting we can do even better than that!

More on this event later as we get organized…

CCFA Take Steps 2009 – Team GottaGo!