No reflux.... Yes pyloric stenosis and surgery

Well.... It has been QUITE a week and a half! It all started with my thinking Harrison had a little congestion and the Dr. was glad to find that it had not moved into his chest, then he started spitting up like crazy.... which became a "reflux" diagnosis and he got put on baby Zantac and we'd been making sure he didn't get horizontal..... then it all turned into throwing up basically everything he was eating. He ended up losing 11 oz over the course of the week and a half. Not good.

Yesterday, the doctor said that his weight loss was more than what was typical for only reflux to be the problem, so he ran blood tests and did x-rays. Those all came back normal and his x-rays showed no blockages, thank goodness! His bilirubin (jaundice) was elevated, but the Dr. was not concerned by it yet. He put Harrison on soy formula overnight to see if it might be a milk protein intolerance, but that seemed to be thrown up just as bad or worse. We (especially my mom and I) decided that enough was enough, and we needed answers, b/c he had no more wiggle room with this baby! He'd already almost lost back down to his birth weight at 1 month old. No good. We were very concerned that he was getting dehydrated as he was having fewer tee-tee diapers. Dehydration is bad in general, but especially in precious babies, and things can get bad fast when it comes.

Anyways.... Mom and I took him to the Pediatrician this AM, determined to get action and answers one way or another...and the Pediatrician was definitely on board after seeing Harrison and his jaundice, being lethargic, etc. and sent us down to the ER at Children's Hospital to have an ultrasound done and electrolytes checked. Harrison's electrolytes were definitely out of whack and his ultrasound showed that he did have pyloric stenosis, which is what my mom was suspecting he had from her research. (Good job, Mimi!) Pyloric stenosis is a narrowing of the valve between the stomach and the small intestines and is easily fixed with a laparoscopic surgery. It is most common in first born white males.

Praise God for answers!

They put him on an IV with fluids, etc. to re-hydrate him and get his electrolytes normal again. He has been admitted to the Special Care Unit, which is a step down from the ICU, so he can be monitored overnight. If his electrolyte levels are good, he will have surgery tomorrow, probably in the AM.

Josh and I are spending the night up at the hospital to be with our boy and my family is taking care of sweet Jack Henry (who has, btw, been a complete doll during all of this!). I am SO GRATEFUL for our amazing support system!!!

Well, that's about it... I appreciate all of your sweet words of love, encouragement, and prayers!

Oh, and Jack Henry is doing GREAT! He's taking breastmilk bottles while I'm up at the hospital. We already knew he was a FANTASTIC nurser, but come to find out, that big boy is taking 5 oz bottles! What a far cry from the original 15mL (abt 1/2 oz) that he started on in the NICU! He has been SUCH a sweet boy thru all of this with Harrison, and that has been so helpful!