Haunted

As a parent, I built a wall around me so that if a need arises, I can hide behind it and appear strong for the sake my children. Today, a hole was punched into it.

Earlier today, Theodore underwent  procedure called the Voiding Cystourethrogram (VCUG) at the Philippine Children's Hospital. It is an x-ray examination of the bladder and urinary tract. This procedure requires the insertion of a catheter to aspirate a contrast material into the bladder and from there, take pictures of how urine would flow. VCUG was recommended to rule out vesicoureteral reflux, an abnormality that causes urine to flow two-way or back to the kidneys. 

It sounds simple, right? I thought so too that's why I agreed to the procedure. I know Theo needed it but I was in no way prepared for what it really meant for him. I've never seen Theo cry and beg like this morning. His face and his cries have haunted me the whole day and I don't think I would ever forget. They have been burned into my memory forever. 

I kept kissing him just to offer some consolation and to let him know that I was there with him. I was at the point of breaking all my resolve. What kept me strong was the fact that he needed the procedure. I convinced myself that it was just a one-time thing and for sure, they'll find nothing else wrong with him. 

During the 30-minute "hell" of a procedure, I kept telling Theodore that it's going to be over soon and that the pain would go away. I didn't expect him to suffer for hours today because everytime he would pee, he would cry - a loud shriek of pain that got us all very alarmed. I called and texted the nephrologist but I didn't get any immediate reply. I blame her for not telling me everything about the procedure. She never told me that it's going to hurt for a loooong time! If I had known, arrangements would have been made! I ended up giving him Paracetamol to help with the pain.

Theo has more tests in the next couple of weeks as part of the monitoring of his disease. I honestly don't know if I can still take it. I feel that my wall would collapse anytime soon.

Diagnosis: MSK

On 22 August, we rushed Theodore to the Emergency Room of VRP Medical Center because his fever climbed to 40 deg C despite being on paracetamol every four hours overnight. It was the third day he's had fever. At first, we attributed it to teething. He is, after all, 9 months old already and baby teeth are to pop out soon enough. We also checked with a pediatrician (not his pedia) and she said it's just a viral infection. Apparently it was not. It was UTI.

It was the second time Theodore has had UTI. At the time of admission, the bacteria in his urine was more than 5000. He was having chills and his cries were different - like pleading for us to help him. We were scared. His pediatrician was scared. She called the hospital numerous times that day to check on him. She said she's afraid he would go into shock if the fever still won't subside. 24-hours after the antibiotics started, his fever finally waned.

A day after the antibiotics got started, Theo felt much better.

Kidney Trouble

As I have mentioned earlier, this was the second time that Theodore has had UTI. Suspicious of the real cause, the pediatrician called in a pedia-nephrologist, Dra. Galvez. Dra. Galvez ordered for numerous tests to be done. In fact, Theo might have endured more needles than you and I combined. There was also a kidney ultrasound pre and post void. At that time, I was confident that they wouldn't find anything wrong with his kidneys because he has a whole abdominal ultrasound just last June and they were fine. 

I couldn't explain the emotion when the doctors told me that Theo's kidney ultrasound shows medullary nephrocalcinosis. I felt blank. I didn't immediately understand its implication because I didn't know what that is. So I asked and they said it's a life-long illness wherein calcium deposits are noted in both kidneys. His pediatrician, Dra. Gomez, also happens to have that but hers in particular is renal-tubular acidosis. Theodore's type of nephrocalcinosis is called Medullary Sponge Kidney. 

In Medullary Sponge Kidney, the medular part of the kidney is filled with sacs or cysts; thus it's sponge-like appearance. The sacs would hinder the urine's free flow so in effect, stones would form or UTI would develop. I did some research and found out that only 1 in 20,000 to 50,000 people in the US have this birth defect. So why would Theodore have it? We don't know but we blame the genes.

I guess we're lucky that the condition was detected early. At  least we have a longer time of understanding it in order to manage it. The disease has no cure, sadly. 

Best Advice Received

I work full-time and because I have been absent for a few days, people started asking why. I told them of Theo's diagnosis and many would say that's sad and they won't know what to do if they were in my shoes. The most sensible comment I have received came from a contact in the International Alert. She said "He's young, maybe there will be developments in his lifetime."

That single sentence gave me hope and touched a part of my soul where others have failed to reach ever since Theo's condition was known. 

Double Trouble

Still bugoy despite the dextrose attached to his hand.

After a week in the hospital, Theodore had a new roommate and unfortunately, it was his brother. Nathan was also admitted but his is due to pneumonia, which is the second instance in just two months. It started as Systemic Viral Infection with fever reaching as high as 40.2 deg C and therefore prompted a visit to the ER last Monday, 25 August. Since his CBC and urinalysis came back normal, he was sent home with some medications (note that no antibiotics were given).

At home, though, the fever and cough persisted. I told my husband to go home and bring him back to the hospital that Thursday, 28 August, and he was diagnosed to have pneumonia and was admitted. 

In order to care for both children at once, we requested that Nathan and Theo share a single room and so it was granted. 

Unlike Theo, who nurses joke to be a "resident" in the hospital because of his long and repeat stays, Nathan stayed for only 3 nights and was discharged by Sunday. He was advised to take oral antibiotics for another five days.

Help from Unexpected Sources

Theo's bill reached 112,000 pesos at the time of discharge. Since this was his third hospitalization, with the second just last March also reaching more than a hundred thousand pesos, we desperately needed help. My husband resorted to "begging" in social media for donations. He received an overwhelming response from his friends both here and abroad. 

I, on the other hand, got help from my officemates who pooled money for Theodore and Nathan. Some of my college friends also donated as well as friends in the sorority. We were able to pool enough money to pay for the 70,000 pesos, minus the medical insurance and Philhealth coverages. 

Until now, I still couldn't believe that a lot of people reached out to help our family. We are truly blessed.

The donations we received were mostly via bank transfers. This is the only exception.

Major Changes

Right now, we are paying the rent and a lot of bills here in Manila. With Theo's medical expenses, our combined salaries will no longer be enough to support the family. It is with deep sadness that I would have to say goodbye to my career. 

We are to return to Mati, where we won't have to pay for rent. I will go back to working online and Nathan will be transferred to a new school. My husband, Marc, will stay in Manila, though, as he is just waiting for word from his employment agency for his date of departure. Hopefully that will be soon so at least our financial worries will be reduced.

We already have new doctors for Theodore and they will be coordinating directly with Manila specialists so there is no loss of information and he will be well taken cared of. To see his new doctors, we will need to travel to Davao City every once in a while but that's fine. It's a cheaper setup compared to staying in Manila. 

Theodore is currently on low-dose antibiotics to prevent recurrent infections but it's still no assurance that he will not have UTI again even while on medication. He is required to drink at least a liter of water per day to prevent the formation of kidney stones. When he's older, his diet will be restricted to that of low-protein, low-salt but high-calcium.

Another bad infection defeated. Yey!

Recovering from Malnutrition: A Step-by-Step Guide

Ever since we were told that Theodore is suffering from severe malnutrition due to his infections and malabsorption syndrome, I have scoured the Internet to know what I can do to help him. I have read articles from WHO and while they may have been very informative, they were not able to satisfy my one answer: how long does it take for the child to recover?

The following is a summary of Theo's progress. It may be different from yours.

Theodore at 3months and 12 days.

27 May 2014

It's been more than a month of no infections for Theodore but on the morning of 27 May, he vomited yellow liquid twice. We brought him to the pedia and were informed that it was stomach acid. We also found out that despite the absence of infections, he is still not gaining weight. At 5 months and 23 days, he was still at 4.7kgs.

At that point, we were referred to a pediatric gastroenterologist at Makati Med.

28 May 2014

We got an appointment with Dra. Sophia Calixto-Mercado for 11:30AM. She checked Theo and noted the distention in his tummy. She also asked for his history and plotted his growth in a growth chart. Theo, she said, is severely malnourished but the problem began when he was a month old, around the same time his health problems started.

Dra. Mercado ordered tests to be done. She ordered for a complete abdominal ultrasound and a stool exam. The stool exam is to check for fat globules, which would signify a malabsorption syndrome.

In the meantime, she recommended that we begin giving Theo Metronidazole and probiotics (Protexin Restore). There was another probiotics, which is to be given after the 7-day Protexin treatment but I forget the name. About two days into the treatment, we noticed that the size of his tummy has decreased. The distention is no longer obvious and he seems to be gaining weight.

Protexin is given as management to acute gastroenteritis in babies 2 months old to 2 years old. It contains 7 strains of good bacteria to help fight the bad bacteria and improve gut function. The other probiotic contains one good bacteria that is not present in Protexin.

Also, she advised to start giving him solids to boost his growth. Theo was only 5 months old but since he can already hold his head steady and he has started to show interest to solids, that should be okay. She said we can try the baby cereal available in the market. We did but it didn't help because after eating, Theo would poop fatty and watery stool. That's why we shifted to giving him indigenous foods, instead.

Taken on 4 June 2014

5 June 2014
Weight: 4.9kls

We had the test results. The abdominal ultrasound showed distention in Theo's large intestine until the sigmoid colon. His stool exam was positive of fat globules. It is confirmed: Theo has malabsorption syndrome.

I should note that after Theo got discharged last April, his pedia recommended giving him Similac Neosure in addition to breastfeeding. Her intention was pure, and that is to promote his growth. Apparently, Theo is lactose intolerant so that was one factor for the malabsorption syndrome. Dra. Mercado told us to stop giving him Neosure and to give Nutramigen, instead.

In addition, I have been drinking cow's milk and dairy was an active part of my diet. Since he's breastfeeding, he's getting the lactose from my diet too so I needed to eliminate dairy altogether.

We were also advised to continue the Probiotics and the Metronidazole for another week.

We were also told to be back for a weekly checkup to monitor his weight gain.

14 June 2014
Weight: 4.7kls

Theo's weight dropped again but Dra. Mercado said that's to be expected in patients recovering from malnutrition. However, clinically, he looked better. His cheeks were fuller, his color was better and his tummy is smaller.

21 June 2014
Weight: 5.08kls

His weight improved. Dra. Mercado told us to add olive oil and Spirulina to his diet. Theo did not like eating very much so it's best to make every spoonful count.

28 June 2014
Weight: 5.3kls

He gained weight again. Dra. Mercado told us to continue everything, except the probiotics and the Metronidazole. On top of that, she also gave e-Zinc, which was given at night for seven days.

We were also told that since the weight gain has been going up steadily, we no longer need to go to the clinic every week. Hooray! Instead, we will just have him weighed at the local health center and call the clinic to report. Should his weight drop again, we will need to go back.

The final diagnosis was: SIBO and Malabsorption Syndrome.

Today, Theo is 5.7kls. He continues to gain weight every week. He is still small for his age (now 7 months old) but he is recovering. He is happier and more active than before.

Taken last 7 July 2014

There is no magic pill that can make Theo or any child recover from malnutrition over night. It takes tons of patience and lots of love to help a child get better. It is also important to followup with your doctor to make sure everything is on track. A good support group is also needed. I'm lucky I have Ate Joy and Tita Tessie to help me take care of Theo and Nathan while Mommy and Daddy are at work.

I Got Robbed!

Yup, you read it right. I got robbed. Luckily, though, they only took my purse, which contains 200 pesos and my government IDs with my maiden name. Ha!

It happened while I was on the jeepney. I was seated beside a man, who is nearest the jeep entrance. Near Market Market!, another man stepped in and of all the empty seats, he chose to sit beside me too! I didn't mind them, though. It was, for me, an ordinary 30-minute ride to Guadalupe, where I was to ride the bus. For them, though, they stepped out of the jeep 200 pesos richer. 

I think they targeted my purse because it was big and thick, and they saw it when I took it out to get money for my fare. Its thickness is because of the government IDs, doctors' calling cards and bookmarks it contains. It's heavy because it also functions as my coin purse. My other "real" wallet is smaller and thinner and is not easily visible because it's hidden deep in my bag. 

I was carrying three bags - one is my main shoulder bag, the second is my laptop bag and the third is my thermal bag for my milk storage bottles. Maybe because I was busy holding on to many things at once, I became an easy target.

So, lesson learned. To avoid another similar incident, here are the things I will do/avoid.

1. Buy a bigger bag to eliminate the need for three separate bags. I'm required to bring my laptop everywhere because I am the appointments secretary of a Cabinet Official so leaving it in the office to lighten my load is out of the question. 

2. Don't put all my IDs in one purse. It's okay that I lost all my IDs today because all of them, except PhilHealth, still bear my maiden name. They're due to be replaced anyway so I'll just file an affidavit of loss and request for new ones. But once I've replaced all of them, losing them again won't be okay anymore.

3. If the jeepney is almost vacant but then someone insists on sitting very close to me, I will hold on to my belongings and make sure to close my bags.

3. Before riding the jeepney, or any other public transport, I will have my fare readily in hand.

4. Stop texting! I was texting my mother about Nathan's progress in school that I didn't notice I was being robbed! (head on the wall)

But even though this incident was a bad start of my day and week, I will not let it ruin my mood. There are still things to be thankful of, such as:

1. The bus conductor didn't ask for my fare. I gave him a 1,000 peso bill because I didn't have coins anymore. He asked if I have a smaller amount and I said no because I lost my purse. He just skipped me and asked for the other passengers' fares. Yipee! Thanks, Manong!

2. They stole my coin purse and not my real wallet. 

3. My ATM cards, which I thought where in the purse, are safely with my husband. At least I don't have to request for new ones, which would have been a long and tedious process. If it were the case, I wouldn't get my salary from my part-time online job on-time.

4. I wasn't hurt nor terrorized but the incident did teach me really valuable lessons for next time. 

5. The 200 pesos could have been of great help to them.

6. Because they also stole my IDs, I am now forced to get new ones. Thus, ending my 2-year laziness of getting new cards with my new name. Hehehe

I have read of a lot of people getting hurt and losing so much when they got robbed. I'm still lucky that I'm okay. 

Take care!

Why We Didn't Celebrate Our Wedding Anniversary

Last Saturday was our 2nd-year anniversary of being legal husband and wife. But contrary to young married couples, we didn't celebrate. There was no cake, no gift and not even a single flower. Why? Because it was not included in the budget. 

Following Theodore's illnesses, we had to cut down on our expenses in order to afford his medical bills. For me, the lack of tangible gifts was acceptable. However, I was expecting something special to happen - maybe a relaxing massage, or an afternoon in the playground (because Theo was well enough to spend an afternoon outside). But none of those were realized. Instead, we spent the morning attending the Parent-Teacher Orientation at Nathan's school and in the afternoon, I was on mommy duties while he slept.

I guess the real reason for the lack of celebration was not the money. I think, we simply stopped becoming lovers. 

We have been burdened with so much lately that we forgot to act like partners. The baby got sick, Kuya got sick, the money is not enough...We had so many responsibilities to think of and neither of us was prepared. I easily got stressed because of my tendency to overthink and over-analyze things. Sometimes, a simple conversation about problems would end with me getting angry at him. Yup, not very nice of me.

Our problem is, I believe, not isolated. Others may be having this problem as well. The lack of intimacy happens especially following the birth of a child. The wife sees the husband as another set of hands to help around the house and take care of the baby. As I have always told my husband regarding the separation of our tasks: "I'm the food and you're the poop."

Now that we have two boys, there's no room for "us" time. At the end of the day, we're both so tired that we just sleep. Talking is done through text or phone call. We may live in the same house but because we're both very busy and we have different work schedules, real conversation no longer happens. 

Maybe when the children are older and no longer sickly, maybe then, we can become lovers again. Until then, we both need to hang on. But on special occasions, I think a simple gesture of love would still be very much acceptable. 

Why Popeye Loves Olive Oyl

I'd like to believe that the cartoon show I used to love as a kid greatly influenced my desire for healthy food. Popeye, the hero in a popular cartoon series, gets his super strength by eating spinach. His heart beats for Olive Oyl (named after the nutrient-rich Olive Oil).

Both spinach and olive oil are considered super foods. Spinach, for example, is rich with nutrients but packs only a few calories. It helps lower the blood glucose level of diabetic patients and it lowers the risk of cancer. In addition, it helps in maintaining a healthy blood pressure while at the same time, improving bone health. With the host of benefits it provides, there's no wonder Popeye gets super fast and super strong every time he eats a can of the "good old green."

On the other hand, cardiologists recommend the intake of at least two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil per day in order to reap its benefits to your general health and well-being. This is because extra virgin olive oil aids in boosting your immunity against viruses, and in fighting potentially-fatal diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, oxidative stress and systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Additional studies are currently underway wherein olive oil is being tested for its ability to prevent stroke, reduce the risk for Type 2 diabetes, and depression.

Is it safe to give olive oil to your baby?

As long as your infant is at least 6 months old, then it is safe to add olive oil to his diet. Per the guidelines set by WHO and UNICEF, babies less than 6 months old should get their nourishment solely from breast milk or formula (although it's best if it's the former than the latter).

Theodore's doctor recommended that we add extra virgin olive oil to his diet to help him gain weight, among others. This is because this very nutrient-rich oil is also a good source of fatty acid, something that Theo really needs.

Although olive oil rarely causes allergic reactions, you must still only introduce a little of it at a time. When introducing it to your baby, add it to the food that he has no negative reactions to. This will help you in properly gauging his reaction to it.

A word of caution: don't overdo on the olive oil. For every 2 oz of food served, add only about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp.

Is it safe to add olive oil to infant's milk?

It's rather pointless to add olive oil to your baby's milk because the oil and the milk won't mix. Do you remember that science experiment you've had when you were in school? When you add oil and water, they won't mix because the oil is lighter than water. Hence, if you add it to your baby's milk, the oil will just stick to the side of the bottle.

****LIKE ANYTHING ELSE, PLEASE DISCUSS WITH YOUR CHILD'S PEDIATRICIAN OR NUTRITIONIST BEFORE INTRODUCING ANYTHING TO YOUR LITTLE ONE.****

Kuya Got a Star!

While on the jeep home, I received a text message from my husband, Marc, telling me that Kuya got a star from school. Of course, I was very excited. Who wouldn't? When a student gets a star, it's most likely because he or she did well in school. Maybe a question was answered correctly or a seatwork was done perfectly. Whatever it is, it must have been done right to deserve such an honor. 

I silently cursed at the traffic because I was in a real hurry to get home. I half-ran and half-walked the short distance from where the jeepney dropped me off to our apartment. When I got home, Kuya was beaming and he was showing me his hand, where the star was stamped on. It was a bright red star (as shown in the picture below). 

"Good job, Kuya!" I said. His smile got wider. 

Then, I asked the very important question: "Why did teacher give you a star?" To which he answered "Because EVERYONE gets star!"

My I'm-a-proud-parent-because-my-kid-got-a-star smile faded. I laughed a hearty laugh instead.

Thanks for being fair, Teacher Erica!

Maintaining Lactation At Work

I won't say that I'm a strong advocate of breastfeeding but I know how important it is. I have exclusively breastfed Kuya for a year and three months, and would have been longer if I didn't get mastitis. With Kuya, it was a painless experience because he had a good suck from the start. I was expecting that I wouldn't have any problems when it comes to breastfeeding Theodore but I was wrong. Theo's suck was weak and feeding him was very painful during the first two weeks. I remember I would cry every time he latched and it came to a point wherein I thought I would not breastfeed him anymore. Of course, I survived that phase without switching to formula. How? I used nipple shields. 

Nipple shields are thin, soft silicones that don't interfere with breast stimulation. As I have always explained it to my friends, it's like making your breasts become "feeding bottles" but with unlimited milk supply for baby. However, please know that nipple shields should only be used temporarily; in my case, only after the wounds have healed and baby's latch has improved. Long-term use may end in a decrease of your milk supply. I used nipple shields for about two weeks only. 

Two months after giving birth via C-Section, I went back to work. I was determined to continue breastfeeding so I started bringing a portable breast pump, about 4-5 milk storage bottles (sterilized) and ice packs inside a thermal bag. Every two-three hours, I would take a break from work and express milk. Expressed milk will then be stored in our freezer for me to take home at the end of the day. The milk expressed today will be baby's food tomorrow, unless of course, it's Friday; in which case, expressed milk will be used the following Monday. 

Expressing milk, like breastfeeding, needs a lot of patience and practice. At first, it may be painful but as you get used to it, the pain will slowly diminish. Just make sure to empty your breasts every time and to observe a 2-3-hour interval in-between. Your breasts are like bottomless iced tea - even though you say it's bottomless, it still has to be refilled before you can pour the contents out again. 

The moment I get home from work, I would clean up, eat dinner quick and breastfeed Theo. Theo, like all babies, can feel when Mommy is about to come home. That is why, he would only feed a little via dropper when it's almost 6 o'clock. 

Now, Theo is 6 months old and I've been back at work for 4 months. I still bring my thermal bag and my breastfeeding paraphernalia to the office. I still take a break to express milk every 2-3 hours. It's a routine that Theo and I have established. It's a routine we're comfortable with. By following this routine everyday, I have successfully maintained a healthy milk supply even when I'm away from my baby (and even if he is drinking Nutramigen temporarily).

5-Day's Worth in a Single Post

I decided to write just one post for all the crazy, fun and sweet things that took place this week as an excuse for neglecting this site. Hehehe

...so here you go:

15 June 2014

Without a doubt, Facebook has been so closely knit with our everyday living because it is the main reason why we remember events. I mean, seriously, if someone hasn't posted on FB, would you remember it's Father's Day? Perhaps 60% of you won't. That's the positive side of living in an era where technology is smart enough to remember dates we usually miss. 

But I've been thinking, were all those greetings posted actually read by their intended recipients? I doubt. Not all dads are on FB. I just hope those nice and touching messages of gratitude and respect were not just posted to show to the world that you appreciate your father. Your dad has to know about them too. 

In our family, we celebrate father's day everyday. Kuya Nathan and Baby Theo show Daddy their love with warm hugs and sloppy kisses. So thanks but no thanks, FB, we didn't need your reminder this time!

16 June 2014

It's Kuya's first day of school! 

Kuya has crossed the Rubicon! He has just started his very long journey to realize his dreams through education. Other kids (and parents) would cry on their first day of school because they fear being left alone in a new environment, but not Kuya. When I left him with his teacher, he smiled and even waved me goodbye. As soon as I got home last Monday night, I asked him what he did in school and he replied with a beam, "Eat cookies and drink juice!" (referring to his baon).

Anak, recess lang ang school? Hahaha

17 June 2014

Baby's gooey mess of a food was made richer and "fatter" with extra virgin olive oil. Following the advice of his gorgeous pedia gastro, we started adding a teaspoon of this nutrient-rich oil to his home-made food. Remember that Theo has a special diet because he was diagnosed with severe malnutrition following recurrent infections, SIBO and a malabsorption syndrome. Hence, every spoonful of food he eats must be as complete as possible. 

In addition, Theo stopped drinking from his bottle and he wouldn't take milk from the dropper either. Instead, he drank from a cup. Yes, our 6-month-old is now drinking straight from a cup. Kuya, upon seeing his baby brother, drinking milk from a cup, also stopped drinking his milk from the bottle. Talk about the younger influencing the older! Good job, boys! *proud mommy here*

(I shall upload a picture of both boys drinking milk from cups soon)

19 June 2014

I learned that Kuya is known as "tawa ng tawa" in school. I discovered this on Thursday morning when I took him to school. His classmate, upon seeing him, said, "O ayan na si Tawa ng Tawa" (Here comes the boy who keeps laughing). It would have been an innocent comment made by a child but for me, a parent who over-thinks, I couldn't help but be worried. 

Could it be that Kuya does not fully understand conversations he hears at school because they are in Tagalog; hence, he just smiles and laughs? Kuya speaks and understands only English and Bisaya. His Tagalog is almost zero. 

That simple comment hit me hard and I decided to start talking to Kuya in Tagalog. I don't want him to be known only as the boy who keeps laughing. I want him to be known for more than just that. 

And to cap this week's update, here's a picture of me and the boys saying "Good morning, World!"

'Til the next post!

The Mighty T: Mommy's Little Fighter

This is Theodore. He was born at 36 weeks, which makes him a late preterm baby. Given that, he has feeding problems, gastrointestinal worries and an immature immune system. These health issues made him a fighter and from hereon, we shall call him "Mighty T".

Mighty T fought and beat pneumonia twice; and infectious diarrhea once. He survived NICU, where he stayed for the first 24hours of his life while waiting for his respiratory rate to normalize and the fluids in his lungs to drain out. He was also diagnosed with severe malnutrition secondary to acute gastroenteritis and Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) with malabsorption. So Mighty T is said to have "failure to thrive". But like all superheroes, he fought and continues to fight back.

Just this morning, we went on our weekly visit to the pediatric gastroenterologist. When we stepped into her clinic, she had her fingers crossed and said "I hope he gained weight!". Indeed, he did! From 4.75kls last week, he's now at 5.08kls. This excellent news means that our 6-month-old is capable of thriving. It means that he does not have some serious mechanical or metabolic illness that would require surgery or life-long treatment. This means that our baby boy only needs Mommy, Daddy, Lola, Nanny and Kuya to work together to provide him optimal care, the right nourishment and to ensure his timely intake of medicines.

However, Mighty T shows a strong disinterest in solids. Once he tastes the food, he would purse his lips and hide his face. The doctor said it's alright. Maybe he isn't ready to eat yet. She said to just give him food that he tolerates so feeding becomes pleasurable for him. Seeing how small he is, I tend to get very frustrated. I wanted him to eat more so he gains weight fast. If he gains weight, he wouldn't be so fragile and sickly anymore. But of course, he won't understand any of that yet so for now, I'll do what the doctor said. 

To somewhat counter his aversion to solids, we also tried boosting his appetite with Cell Life and Heraclene but they didn't work on him. We tried coaxing him to eat, even playing with him just so he gets interested in the food. We also tried letting him watch cooking shows on TLC - hey, anything's possible! But, yes, none worked. 

So we focused on giving him more nutrients through his milk. I'm breastfeeding so I make sure to eat the right kinds of food at all times. On top of that, the doctor recommended Nutramigen along with Spirulina.

Nutramigen is a hypoallergenic and extensively hydrolyzed infant formula designed for the effective dietary management of common feeding issues. It's pricey and it smells really bad - even Mighty T hates it. I'm all for exclusive breastfeeding but I would do ANYTHING just to help correct baby's health problems.

Spirulina, on the other hand, is composed of cyanobacteria: Arthrospira platensis and Arthrospira maxima. It is a dietary supplement and a whole food. The doctor said just two tablets of Spirulina is already equivalent to a kilo of vegetables. So I sprinkled half a tablet to Might T's processed porridge (we process his food in a blender so that he won't gag when he eats) and fed it to him. He ate about 5 or 6 spoonfuls (the small baby spoon) and he seemed to like the dark green color of his food. I asked his Nanny Joy to taste his food and she said it still takes like porridge. So it's odorless and tasteless - perfect for Theo's choosy palate. 

We seem to be getting somewhere with Spirulina so we'll keep feeding him that. Also, per advice of the doctor, we will continue to use porridge and Spirulina as his base food and from time to time, add mashed vegetable, fish flakes and tofu. For his snacks, we'll try a combination of mashed or pureed fruits with Nutramigen or my milk. Maybe I'll blend them all in before feeding him. With fingers crossed, I hope this feeding plan works!

Writing for Sanity

For the past few months that I have not written, I've almost lost, for lack of a better word, my sanity. Writing keeps me sane. It is my medicine. Without a written recording of my struggles and experiences, I would feel unable to digest everything that has happened in a day.

As a working mother of two very young children, it is understandable to lose my sanity every once in a while. Of course, there are all those things that would fill the mind. The children, their health, the household, the job, money and so on. On top of that, I have a sickly son who needs to be closely looked after. If things would have been simpler, I would have quit my office job a long time ago and focused on my youngest instead. But I wanted a career and I thought I'm a superwoman who can take care of a family and a career at the same time. Wrong. I'm not a superwoman. I'm just a half sane woman trying to piece everything together using cheap glue. 

So in an attempt to collect my thoughts and have a platform where I can review them (forgetfulness has always been an issue with me) before making a decision, I have decided to start writing a blog. Here, I will write about anything that comes to mind but mostly it will be about my three bugoys - my husband, Kuya Nathan and Baby Theo.