The Bottle Challenge

As everybody knows, Caden is on a feeding tube and we are trying to feed him by bottle as much as possible. Since he has low muscle tone, he does have a poor sucking ability. But it is getting much better.

PROOF: Yesterday Caden took two(2) bottles that were 5 ¹/₂ oz each.

On Monday, 4 August 2005, his substitute pediatrician, Dr. Michaels, thought it would be fine to do a "bottle challenge." It's where we take out the feeding tube for a few days and only feed him by bottle. Just to see how he does. If Caden loses weight, or doesn't gain any weight, the tube will have to go back in.
NOTE: He has a substitute pediatrician because Dr. Krenzer had a baby.

In the eighteen days between his last doctor visit and monday, he gained 24 oz. Which as you can tell, is a little over an ounce a day. He should be gaining about ³/₄ to 1 ounce a day. During the last month and a half he had to play a little catch up since he spent the 6 weeks in the hospital and was on and off of IV's and other fluids that fluctuated his weight.

If Caden can keep the tube out, obviously this is what we want, but that means that we lose the daycare that was supposed to be provided for him. If he doesn't, he still gets to keep the daycare. Either way, it works itself out.

It looks as if we don't have to worry about it now though. Holly has decided to do a home daycare, of sorts. In the future, I'm sure she'll do it more of what you would think of a home daycare, but for now, it's just a couple of friends' kids. So, Holly will be able to say home with Caden. We do hope at some point to open a proper daycare in the future.

Listen to me, it sounds like I am helping her to do this. I know that if, in the future, this does happen, I will be helping her with the different aspects of it (Advertising, painting, location search, etc.). But, that will happen eventually. Not now.

I just need to hit the lottery so that she can start right now. I know that I would still work my current job, and that she would open a daycare. Obviously she would hire out for more staff, but she would still be there. And of course our kids would get to go there for free.


Until Next time, I continue to ask for and thank you for your prayers.