Swelling? Eating?

[Mrslala]

I brought this up on another thread...but I am worried about the swelling of Lennon's eyes.

Her left eye has been open for several days, wide open now...but her left eye is still mostly closed even though the swelling has gone down a lot. It's not gone, but it doesn't look more swollen than the other eye anymore. I guess I'm worried about nerve or muscle damage. Did anyone else's kids not have an eye or eyes open 6 days post op??

Also, most of you know by now that Lennon was readmitted for not drinking or eating well (among several other things). She is doing better now over all, but still won't eat well. She will eat tons of dry cereal and that is IT! If I come anywhere near her with any type of bottle or sippy cup she screams as though she is being tortured. I feel like this is some sort of post traumatic stress issue, but I have NO idea how to work it out and if she doesn't get better soon they are threatening to place a G tube in her. =(

She has never been big on fluids, but she has never been like this!

I have tried offering every liquid under the sun in every form I can think of (cup, sippy, bottle, straw, spoon, syringe, etc). No luck. She is TERRIFIED of all of them.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

[Avery's Mom]

Avery ate nothing but banana oatmeal for about two weeks then gradually went back to all his old faves after that. It has always been his 'comfort food'. No advice on the drinking though as he still gets most of his fluids through his G-tube.

[hayley]

Bless you i really feel for you i bet it's really getting you down i hope you find some thing to help....what about if you give it to her brother is she one of the kids that if he's got it she wants it..:dunno was just a thought

[marisajo]

Zack had issues post-op with an overactive gag reflex. I think the breathing tube can sometimes through them for a loop post op. I'd just continue what you are doing to try to find things that she enjoys...it should get better soon.

[*jules*]

alex didn't have much of a post-op appetite either. he was eating the heck out of his baby food before surgery, and afterward, barely touched the stuff. I also mentioned his eyes on your other thread...one of his is still slightly bigger than the other....and we are 3mos post op. I'm sure you're sick of hearing this, but time, time, time is all she needs. :)

[Mama Musica]

What about things like popsicles? You could do frozen pedialyte. I would try pushing the fruit- apples, oranges and grapes have tons of liquid in them. Would she eat chicken noodle soup or something like that off a spoon? What about soda? (Something's better than nothing...)

[Mrslala]

What about things like popsicles? You could do frozen pedialyte. I would try pushing the fruit- apples, oranges and grapes have tons of liquid in them. Would she eat chicken noodle soup or something like that off a spoon? What about soda? (Something's better than nothing...)

I wish! She is having a lot of post traumatic stress I have finally decided. I know, I know...but I'm serious. She is terrified of anything coming near her mouth that she doesn't put there herself...she won't even chew on our fingers (very strange for a young child!). She screaming bloody murder if a bottle, sippy cup or spoon is brought anywhere near her face. The only things she will eat are ones she can pickup herself and even then, it's mostly Cheerios. Though yesterday I did get some watermelon in her.

She used to love popcicles preop, but hasn't gone near them since. I am going to pick up her favorite brand after work today and try those though.

She is slowly improving, even took some bottle for me today. Oh - forgot to mention that she can't/won't hold her own, which is also part of the problem. It's one delay that hasn't improved since surgery (yet...fingers crossed!).

Thanks for all the advice guys...it makes me feel better to know that others did have food issues after. I'm sure she'll get over it eventually.

[Debbied]

I thought I read that you had said her pincer grasp had improved just in the short time after surgery? She is Henry's age I think and he is all about it as well..He gets so mad if I try and spoon feed him anything lately! If it is finger food he goes to town..Of course you need to get liquid in her so not taking a bottle is a tough one. Henry is fascinated by when I drink out of popcans now and wants one when I take a sip when I am holding him I have let him drink out of it a few times since it is just sparkly water..Maybe that would work it is a wayyy long shot I know but only thing I can think of :dunno Hope it gets easier for you all soon. Give that sweet lil Lennon a hug from Henry and me.

[*jules*]

. Oh - forgot to mention that she can't/won't hold her own, which is also part of the problem. It's one delay that hasn't improved since surgery (yet...fingers crossed!).



Don't want to rain on your parade or dash away your hopes, but Alex still won't hold his own bottle. Oh how much easier life would be it he did, lol. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that Lennon improves with this, but if not, you're not alone :)

[Mrslala]

Don't want to rain on your parade or dash away your hopes, but Alex still won't hold his own bottle. Oh how much easier life would be it he did, lol. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that Lennon improves with this, but if not, you're not alone :)

Ahhh, nooooo! Her twin sister has been holding the bottle for MONTHS now so I was hopeful...Boo. lol

Also, the neuro just called and he wants to see her on Monday about the eye. It was more open this morning, but that only lasted about an hour and then it started closing again. I'm really worried that it's ptosis (http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/droopinglids.htm). Gosh, I really hope I'm just being paranoid. I don't know if I could handle it if we did this surgery with one of the aims to be improving her appearance and we made it worse. Really, I don't know what I'd do. Please, please, please let me just be a crazy over-reactive momma. :roll

[Mrslala]

The eye has finally opened up! Yaaay! I've never been so happy to be a crazy paranoid momma. ;) I think I have just been so used to everything going "wrong" lately...Anyhow, WHEW!

[Zara's mum]

:yipee, that's excellent news xx