The Wean Plan....less than 72 hours to go....

So, with less than 72 hours to go, I am in full-on tube weaning mode!  During the wean, we will loosely following the Graz Method for tube weaning but allowing for necessary intervention in the way of hydration or nutrition via g-tube if necessary.   The overarching idea and hope is that she will become hungry enough to eat.  We will take her to be weighed every other day and will also be mindful of behavioral signs that we should intervene.  Reide's pediatrician, occupational therapist and gasterenterologist are in full support of our wean plan, which is nice, because some people have a hard time "selling" a hunger-based tube wean.

Please go to http://www.thecrunchyandthesmooth.com/ to read a wean that we've studied for a few months now.  Reide's wean will hopefully go in a similar fashion.

As a mom, I am hopeful (but trying not to get my hopes up); I am fearful (but trying not to let it show because Reide is very perceptive); I am apprehensive (but promising to stick to the written plan as my "back bone" during all this.  Lastly, I can't help but be sad.  I know, its a weird feeling to have....sad....but it's not how I thought I'd spend Reide's second Christmas.  But I can tell you, for certain, that if this works....if she weans....if she begins to eat by mouth for the first time in almost 9 months....I will be ELATED!!!  It would be the BEST Christmas gift EVER!!!  Either way,  it's a Christmas I won't soon forget.

I need moms willing to come over (or invite us) for "Play Picnics" which are supposedly instrumental to successful tube weans.  We would ideally like to have Play Picnics every day of Reide's tube wean, either at 10am or 3pm.  Play picnics are where food (all kinds, textures, flavors, etc.) is readily available and that anything goes, including getting dirty, throwing food, putting food in toys, in my mouth, in your mouth, in your childs mouth and there is no pressure; no pressure to eat, no pressure to play, no cheering about food, no pretending to eat food, no yum-yums or no-no's.  So, if your interested, please text me: 318-393-7329 dates and times, my house or yours. 

Lastly, please be praying.  This will be a very trying time for Reide but also for Brock and I.  How we go about this and how we react along the way will be pivotal to Reide's success.  We know that God's hands are ALL OVER this already, but we strongly believe in the power of persistent prayer and we know that with many asking, maybe one (Reide) can recieve a miracle.  We pray daily that God will heal her precious body and her mind so that she knows that food won't hurt and that she can trust again.  Thank you for your prayers and support!

And you know....I'll update often. I'm hoping daily, but we'll see.