sarahbkribs
New Member
Hi Everyone,
I am new to this forum..just joined today and wanted to introduce myself. I have a son who is 3 that has been on a g-tube (a feeding tube inserted directly into his stomach) since he was 3 weeks old. I was a part of another forum that dealt with tube-feeding and all of the issues with that until yesterday when I decided to look for a better avenue since now we are dealing with a different type of problem...behavioral issues. It has just been so frustrating and so exhausting. Everything surrounding my experience of motherhood has been just incredibly difficult. I dealt with a horrific pregnancy...polyhydramnios (excessive amniotic fluid), which caused me, a little person, 5ft 3 to gain 60 pounds. I was in and out of the hospital for pre-term labor (helo flighted and ambulanced) at different times since we lived in WA state and were two hours from the nearest non-military hospital. I was on bed rest for 3 months and during all this time they could really find nothing wrong with my son. He was born, I was relieved and thought my nightmare was over. Little did I know, it was just the beginning. At birth, he would sputter and turn hypoxic when he would eat. Took him to the pediatrician because I had a sense something was wrong and we were immediately taken to the Children's Hospital where we spent the next 2 and a half months straight trying to figure out what was causing his sputtering and problems with GI motility. Basically, every time he would drink formula, it would aspirate into his lungs in a sense causing him to drown. The doctors immediately said he could not eat by mouth, a feeding tube was put in place and that is what we have used to get him to where he is today. To this day, and through many extensive and exhausting and painful tests, we still have no answer. The bright side of the story is that he is doing much better now. We still have the g-tube but we have not had to use it since May 5th because he has been eating by mouth and has been able to maintain his weight without supplemental tube feedings. The eating by mouth was a slow process and we went through many therapies (occupational, physical, and speech) for 5 days a week for 2 and a half years. I have to say it really paid off and I am so thankful to be where we are today. But, where we are today is really exhausting, too. My son just qualified for a special needs program that will start at the end of the month. He made it in by 1 point on their scale and will now be going to a Special Education pre-school 5 days a week from 8-3. The hope is that he will start in a regular kindergarten when it's time. I am sorry I am rambling it's just been such a rough road and I am so tired. I know many of you, as parents, and caretakers, are too. My son went to a 2 year old class last year and got notes sent home every day for hitting, pushing, not following directions, throwing toys, taking toys from others, just everything you could imagine. I am worried that he might be ADHD but I know that they cannot be diagnosed until they are at least 5. My husband is only semi-supportive, I am a stay at home mom, and just yesterday he told me the reason that my son is like this is because I don't discipline him enough. It broke my heart because out of the 2 of us, I am DEFINITELY the disciplinarian. I am the one who is home with him all of the time. My husband is in the Navy and works 50-65 hour work weeks and then is getting his MBA on the side. It is just so stressful. This has all been so trying on our marriage and sometimes I wonder how much more I can take? I am just so deflated and discouraged and hope that my son gets better and can learn to somewhat function in the world. It makes me not want to have another child with my husband, which truly breaks my heart...it makes me question so many things....just wanted to post...sorry again for rambling but I have read your posts today and see that many of you have struggles, too, and it is ok to talk about them to get them off of our chests. Thank you for listening...Sarah
I am new to this forum..just joined today and wanted to introduce myself. I have a son who is 3 that has been on a g-tube (a feeding tube inserted directly into his stomach) since he was 3 weeks old. I was a part of another forum that dealt with tube-feeding and all of the issues with that until yesterday when I decided to look for a better avenue since now we are dealing with a different type of problem...behavioral issues. It has just been so frustrating and so exhausting. Everything surrounding my experience of motherhood has been just incredibly difficult. I dealt with a horrific pregnancy...polyhydramnios (excessive amniotic fluid), which caused me, a little person, 5ft 3 to gain 60 pounds. I was in and out of the hospital for pre-term labor (helo flighted and ambulanced) at different times since we lived in WA state and were two hours from the nearest non-military hospital. I was on bed rest for 3 months and during all this time they could really find nothing wrong with my son. He was born, I was relieved and thought my nightmare was over. Little did I know, it was just the beginning. At birth, he would sputter and turn hypoxic when he would eat. Took him to the pediatrician because I had a sense something was wrong and we were immediately taken to the Children's Hospital where we spent the next 2 and a half months straight trying to figure out what was causing his sputtering and problems with GI motility. Basically, every time he would drink formula, it would aspirate into his lungs in a sense causing him to drown. The doctors immediately said he could not eat by mouth, a feeding tube was put in place and that is what we have used to get him to where he is today. To this day, and through many extensive and exhausting and painful tests, we still have no answer. The bright side of the story is that he is doing much better now. We still have the g-tube but we have not had to use it since May 5th because he has been eating by mouth and has been able to maintain his weight without supplemental tube feedings. The eating by mouth was a slow process and we went through many therapies (occupational, physical, and speech) for 5 days a week for 2 and a half years. I have to say it really paid off and I am so thankful to be where we are today. But, where we are today is really exhausting, too. My son just qualified for a special needs program that will start at the end of the month. He made it in by 1 point on their scale and will now be going to a Special Education pre-school 5 days a week from 8-3. The hope is that he will start in a regular kindergarten when it's time. I am sorry I am rambling it's just been such a rough road and I am so tired. I know many of you, as parents, and caretakers, are too. My son went to a 2 year old class last year and got notes sent home every day for hitting, pushing, not following directions, throwing toys, taking toys from others, just everything you could imagine. I am worried that he might be ADHD but I know that they cannot be diagnosed until they are at least 5. My husband is only semi-supportive, I am a stay at home mom, and just yesterday he told me the reason that my son is like this is because I don't discipline him enough. It broke my heart because out of the 2 of us, I am DEFINITELY the disciplinarian. I am the one who is home with him all of the time. My husband is in the Navy and works 50-65 hour work weeks and then is getting his MBA on the side. It is just so stressful. This has all been so trying on our marriage and sometimes I wonder how much more I can take? I am just so deflated and discouraged and hope that my son gets better and can learn to somewhat function in the world. It makes me not want to have another child with my husband, which truly breaks my heart...it makes me question so many things....just wanted to post...sorry again for rambling but I have read your posts today and see that many of you have struggles, too, and it is ok to talk about them to get them off of our chests. Thank you for listening...Sarah