So...What did he say?

The Pediatric Gastroentorologist...Dr. Feist, was great last Thursday. He told us that Malachi has a condition called post-viral dysmotility. Yeah...okay, so what does that mean? Basically, the week that he got croup is the week all this started right? Yep...with a virus. That virus shut his stomach and intestines down and they haven't been working since. He's still producing gastric juices, but the stomach and intestines are no longer contracting the way they should to move the food through the digestive track. So...now what? He put Malachi on 1.3 ml 3 x/day of Reglan which is a medicine that is supposed to "jump start" those contractions again and hopefully he'll be better soon. At least, that's what he thought. He told me to call in a week (next Thursday) and hopefully we'd be able to put him back on Nutramigen...then, in another 4 weeks, go back and hopefully we can get on regular formula and wean him off the Reglan.

Friday, Thomas stayed home with him and we were hoping that he would have a good day. He did...then, Daddy and Mommy went on a very special date with Aunt Bubzees and Uncle Dubz. Lolli even told us to leave him at her house all night! WOO HOO...were we excited? Yep! You know what a night with no baby means right??? SLEEP!!! Well...after we left the Nutcracker (thanks again Bubz and Dubz, we had a great time!!) we had a message to call Pops ASAP. It had been sent an hour before. Malachi was writhing and moaning and couldn't sleep and wouldn't rest. We brought him home, he slept ALL night...we weren't sure what had happened, but we thought it was over.

Saturday morning, woke up...Fed Malachi at 8:00a.m. and all was well...or so we thought. He then began wanting to eat about every hour. He was in pain, uncomfortable...horribly gassy, couldn't sleep...just not good. Dr. Young had asked us to please come in on Sunday for a weight check, but with Malachi not feeling well and the new cough he has developed, we went ahead and made an appointment for Saturday at 1:00. Yep, that's right...our awesome pediatrician works 7 days a week. Usually 14 days in a row and then takes the weekend off. When we got to his office, they weighed Malachi and he's up to the same weight that he was on October 14th, 15 lbs 3 oz. The Dr. told us that if he had lost any more weight, we were headed to the hospital. Thank you Lord for not letting that happen. He told us no more Reglan for the day, let his tummy rest, feed him about 2-3 oz about every 2 hours and go from there. He also told us to drop the dosage of the Reglan back to .7ml 3-4 times a day.

Sunday that's exactly what we tried. 9:30 Reglan...HORRIBLE. He cried and fussed and moaned and groaned ALL DAY LONG. In fact, it's 8:00p.m. and that still hasn't stopped. I don't think he's getting satisfied, but I'm afraid that if I feed him much more it will REALLY upset his tummy. So, tomorrow, I'm already planning on staying home and calling BOTH doctors tomorrow to see what the NEXT plan of attack is.

Thank the Lord for his saving grace and for putting such a GREAT support system in our midst. Thomas is so wonderful, but he's getting exhausted too. My mom and dad are trying EVERYTHING they can to help us and our friends are calling to check on us and give us moral support. (Thank you Aunt Janalyn for calling tonight to check on us...we love you!!)

If I find anything else out, I'll update. Just pray that Malachi will get better soon so we can have a fat, happy, content little baby back!!

Love to you all!