A friend came across this posting on Craigslist. I make no claims about how legit it is, but I emailed. Who can't use a free $25?
Remember: I make no claims about this so if it turns out to be a scam to get our phone numbers, I'm sorry!
WEGO Health (http://community.wegohealth.com) is a new consumer health website and we are holding focus groups on Thursday, March 12th for women who are having trouble trying to conceive, or have had experience with fertility issues.
Focus groups will be held at 12 Noon Eastern Standard Time, 4pm EST, 6pm EST and 9pm EST.
Please note: These groups will take one hour and are held remotely. Participants can join from anywhere in the country, but will required to be online and on the phone at the same time.
All participants will receive a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate.
We are looking for women who:
1) Have explored fertility treatment options.
2) Stay current on fertility news and treatment options.
3) Are active contributors to online health communities.
Not sure if you’re an active contributor? We’re looking for people who participate in online discussion forums, question & answer sites, blogs, Twitter, etc.
If you are interested, please email services@wegohealth.com and include the following information:
1) Your name
2) Your phone number (there will be a brief phone screen)
3) Where you participate online (names of websites, online communities, etc)
4) Times (Noon EST, 4pm EST, 6pm EST, or 9pm EST) that will work best for you. Please list your top three choices. Please note, all times are Eastern Standard Time.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Surgery update
The surgeon called this morning.
The bad news: Robbie's hiatal hernia is back.
The good news: Robbie's hiatal hernia is back.
This is bad because obviously it changes the surgery. Instead of being a 10 minute outpatient procedure with no stitches, it's a 90 minute inpatient procedure with lots more details.
The doctor said that because Robbie's stomach is attached to his abdomen from the gastrostomy (remember that yesterday this was a good thing) it will be more difficult to work around. He may have to actually detach it, do the hernia repair and then reattach it. He'll try to avoid that but the most important thing is to fix the hernia as well as possible.
He said that it's common for them to recur and particularly because Robbie was so small when they fixed it the first time (less than 4 lbs) there wasn't a lot of tissue to work with. Because he's much larger now, there is much more tissue and he has a far better chance of permanently repairing it.
All of this is good because it certainly explains why Robbie doesn't want to eat. It explains not just his discomfort but the fact that he eats a small amount and stops. What is likely happening is that he eats a bit which causes his stomach to distend upward into his esophogus, which hurts. And he's done. Who can blame the kid?
It's entirely possible that just like last time, he'll wake up from surgery and be starving. Of course, he's much older now and has learned the eating = pain, so he might not. The G tube will go in anyway just in case.
Just like last time, if he does return to eating and growing fantastically, it can always be removed again. (Though I'll probably be far more hesistant to do so right away this time.)
It also means he'll be under anesthesia longer, which of course means I'm more nervous. It's still not anticipated to be a problem, but they will try to get him awake as soon as they can. The surgeon said that if things go easily it may be as quick as an hour but if he has trouble working aroung the gastrostomy, it may even take longer. As he told me last time, "It's not a race. It takes as long as it takes to do it well."
We will be staying overnight. The doctor said that if it got to be about 10pm and we were fed up with the hospital and just couldn't take it a minute more, we could have the nurses call him and he'd discharge us, but he will need to be observed for a while after the surgery because his feedings will be held a while. We'll likely to go ahead and stay the night and go home the next morning. By now we're certainly used to the hospital life.
As always we could use prayers. Pray that the surgery goes smoothly and that the hernia repair is completely successful this time. And pray that this is truly the answer to our eating woes. For the first time in months I feel like we might really have hope that he might be able to eat normally.
The difference last time was profound. I'd love to see that again.
--Trish
The bad news: Robbie's hiatal hernia is back.
The good news: Robbie's hiatal hernia is back.
This is bad because obviously it changes the surgery. Instead of being a 10 minute outpatient procedure with no stitches, it's a 90 minute inpatient procedure with lots more details.
The doctor said that because Robbie's stomach is attached to his abdomen from the gastrostomy (remember that yesterday this was a good thing) it will be more difficult to work around. He may have to actually detach it, do the hernia repair and then reattach it. He'll try to avoid that but the most important thing is to fix the hernia as well as possible.
He said that it's common for them to recur and particularly because Robbie was so small when they fixed it the first time (less than 4 lbs) there wasn't a lot of tissue to work with. Because he's much larger now, there is much more tissue and he has a far better chance of permanently repairing it.
All of this is good because it certainly explains why Robbie doesn't want to eat. It explains not just his discomfort but the fact that he eats a small amount and stops. What is likely happening is that he eats a bit which causes his stomach to distend upward into his esophogus, which hurts. And he's done. Who can blame the kid?
It's entirely possible that just like last time, he'll wake up from surgery and be starving. Of course, he's much older now and has learned the eating = pain, so he might not. The G tube will go in anyway just in case.
Just like last time, if he does return to eating and growing fantastically, it can always be removed again. (Though I'll probably be far more hesistant to do so right away this time.)
It also means he'll be under anesthesia longer, which of course means I'm more nervous. It's still not anticipated to be a problem, but they will try to get him awake as soon as they can. The surgeon said that if things go easily it may be as quick as an hour but if he has trouble working aroung the gastrostomy, it may even take longer. As he told me last time, "It's not a race. It takes as long as it takes to do it well."
We will be staying overnight. The doctor said that if it got to be about 10pm and we were fed up with the hospital and just couldn't take it a minute more, we could have the nurses call him and he'd discharge us, but he will need to be observed for a while after the surgery because his feedings will be held a while. We'll likely to go ahead and stay the night and go home the next morning. By now we're certainly used to the hospital life.
As always we could use prayers. Pray that the surgery goes smoothly and that the hernia repair is completely successful this time. And pray that this is truly the answer to our eating woes. For the first time in months I feel like we might really have hope that he might be able to eat normally.
The difference last time was profound. I'd love to see that again.
--Trish
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Scheduled
Robbie's surgery will be next Tuesday, March 3 at 11:30am.
The surgeon thinks it will be especially easy because he believes his stomach is still attached to the abdomen from having the G tube previously. He said he likely won't even need stitches and will be able to go home the same day.
He doesn't anticipate the lengthy recovery time of last time because Robbie's older and willingly breathes on his own now.
I told him I'd pack a bag just in case and he thought that was a good idea.
He sent us to radiology for a repeat upper GI to make sure his hiatal hernia hadn't recurred. If it has, that would obviously change things a bit, but hopefully it's just a 10 minute procedure with minimal pain.
I feel a little better today than I did yesterday. I really like the surgeon (and he comes HIGHLY recommended) and he did calm my fears a bit.
Now we just need it over with.
--Trish
The surgeon thinks it will be especially easy because he believes his stomach is still attached to the abdomen from having the G tube previously. He said he likely won't even need stitches and will be able to go home the same day.
He doesn't anticipate the lengthy recovery time of last time because Robbie's older and willingly breathes on his own now.
I told him I'd pack a bag just in case and he thought that was a good idea.
He sent us to radiology for a repeat upper GI to make sure his hiatal hernia hadn't recurred. If it has, that would obviously change things a bit, but hopefully it's just a 10 minute procedure with minimal pain.
I feel a little better today than I did yesterday. I really like the surgeon (and he comes HIGHLY recommended) and he did calm my fears a bit.
Now we just need it over with.
--Trish
Random Thought Tuesday
I'm already getting that sick, anxious feeling worrying about something going wrong with Robbie's surgery. It's not even scheduled yet.
...
I'm also already salivating thinking about a free ICEE and Caramel Bugles from the cafeteria.
...
The Salma Hayek breastfeeding video made me sob. I'd heard the story but not seen it. The other night they showed it on ET or something and I burst into tears. It took me a little while to figure out why. It was the look on the baby's face. 1) He looked so content to be at the breast and 2) He was actually EATING.
I grieved a little that we didn't get that.
...
Talked to my pediatrician today and she told me that my beloved Dr. C asked about Robbie today. I knew he loved me as much as I loved him.
...
I have started to refuse to read anything regarding the Octuplet mom because it seriously pisses me off so much. It was bad enough until I read "Everything turned out so perfectly" and every time I think of those babies in the NICU I want to punch her in the face. My blood pressure is rising just typing about it.
...
We're really want to sell our house and buy a new (cheaper) one. Selling our house in this market really stresses me out.
...
I must think "I should post about this" about a hundred time a day, but now I can't think of any of the things that I randomly think I should mention.
...
I should go to bed.
--Trish
I'm also already salivating thinking about a free ICEE and Caramel Bugles from the cafeteria.
The Salma Hayek breastfeeding video made me sob. I'd heard the story but not seen it. The other night they showed it on ET or something and I burst into tears. It took me a little while to figure out why. It was the look on the baby's face. 1) He looked so content to be at the breast and 2) He was actually EATING.
I grieved a little that we didn't get that.
Talked to my pediatrician today and she told me that my beloved Dr. C asked about Robbie today. I knew he loved me as much as I loved him.
I have started to refuse to read anything regarding the Octuplet mom because it seriously pisses me off so much. It was bad enough until I read "Everything turned out so perfectly" and every time I think of those babies in the NICU I want to punch her in the face. My blood pressure is rising just typing about it.
We're really want to sell our house and buy a new (cheaper) one. Selling our house in this market really stresses me out.
I must think "I should post about this" about a hundred time a day, but now I can't think of any of the things that I randomly think I should mention.
I should go to bed.
--Trish
Monday, February 23, 2009
Raspberry video and gtube
Robbie is just learning to blow raspberries. what he's really accomplishing is slobbering A LOT. I hope this video uploads bright enough that you can see him doing it.
We had our follow up with the doctor today. We see the surgeon on Wednesday and will schedule the G tube placement from there.
Today's appointment was actually with both the nutritionist and the NP in the GI's office. They both feel that the G tube won't be super long term. Because he took so well to solid food, they think that once he reaches the point where most of his calories can come from solids versus milk, we will be able to get rid of the tube.
They said their plan is that as soon as the tube goes in, we're working on getting it out.
He weight 10 lb 13oz at the office today. I had actually fed him on the way to the doctor, so that was a little heavy. I weighed him on the home scale tonight and he was really 10lb 10.5 oz. That puts him up 11+ oz in 2 1/2 weeks. Considering he only gained 5 ounces in the month preceding that, it's obvious that things are going better.
For now, please pray that the surgery goes smoothly. I'm really nervous about it. He took 3 days to wake up from the last one.
There are many reasons this should go smoother.
-He's almost triple the weight he was then
-the surgery is about 10 minutes versus the 2 1/2 hours previously
-we know he reacts strongly to the anesthesia
-he's having way less done so he'll require way less pain medication afterward.
but I also know anything can happen.
--Trish
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