surgery and recovery

Elijah had surgery yesterday to put in a g-tube, which is a feeding tube going through his belly into his stomach. My heart hurts to see his sweet little tummy with a tube poking out of it, but we do feel this is the best decision for Elijah. We'll continue to feed him normally most of the time; now we can just get a little extra down and also have a way to feed him if he can't or won't eat. Elijah is very delayed developmentally, so he's old enough to need more than just formula and juice, but not "old enough" to handle semi-solids quite yet. If, in the future, he's able to eat really well, we can perhaps take the tube out someday. That's a comforting thought in some ways, because having an artificial opening into one's body is very drastic and not at all what we would normally choose to do.


Elijah's recovery is going pretty well. His incision looks good, but we can tell it hurts. The doctor said it was equivalent to having a stab wound, so I guess pain is to be expected.


We are thankful...for Todd's family, who came a long way to be with us here in the hospital; for my family, who has been such a support already during our stay in the USA; that my Grandma has opened her cozy little home for us to stay in; for friends who have loaned us their vehicle for a few weeks; for the good medical care that we are able to receive for Elijah. We are SO blessed!

Thank you, dear friends near and far, for your prayers. We are held in those everlasting arms tonight.