All over again

 Yet again, I thought that I would be writing today to tell you about our house and show lots of pictures {I'm still having issues with Blogger, but I have found backdoor where I can load pictures}.  However, there is important stuff goin' on up in the Lewis house and I am going to tell you about that.

Some of you might remember this post from a while ago where I told about Jack's medical scare. 

Well, apparently history does repeat itself.

Nate has begun to lose weight and muscle tone.  I noticed over Christmas when he was with his cousin, Elijah, that Elijah was doing so much more at two months younger. 

We have always been sensitive to Nate because of our experience with Jack, but because it seemed that he was eating well and because he was my smallest baby at birth, I just thought he was going to be smaller.  I hadn't been concerned about him because, unlike Jack when he was sick, Nate is very social.  His eyes are bright, he laughs, loves to be tickled, talks a lot, and just generally interacts.  Still, something wasn't right.  Elijah was playing with toys, kicking his feet, trying to stand and sit.  Nate wasn't doing any of those things.

So ever since, we've been paying close attention.  When we put him on the playmat, he doesn't play with the toys.  When we put him on his tummy, he just lays his head down and ends up falling asleep.  He would be totally content to lay on me and snuggle for the entire day, never trying to sit or really look around. 

We took him to the doctor yesterday {after an entire day spent trying to find a doctor in our area who is taking new patients [!!]}.  Sure enough, something's up.  He's dropped about a pound and his muscletone has decreased.  In the doctor's words, "Something is definitely wrong here."
 
So how does one family have two infant boys who seem happy as clams but are actually starving?  Who never really cry and seem like perfect, totally content children, but who aren't getting enough calories in them to allow them to grow? 

The doctor thinks it's genetic.  So did the doctors who cared for Jack, but they didn't find anything.  When I asked about that, he said that there are 30,000 genes in the body, so an anomaly would be difficult to find when there is nothing telling in their faces {most genetic issues show up in large or minute ways in the face - think Downs}.  He said that because this is a very rare problem, a genetic correlation seems most likely, but that doesn't really help us solve the issue.

So, where does that leave us?  Better than you might think.  This is the devil we know, if you will.  We have fought this before and this is our first little starving waif now.

 

We're having blood and urine tests done, and I'm trying to supplement his nursing {which I've upped to every three hours} with formula from a bottle, but he's never had a bottle, so it isn't exactly smooth sailing yet.  If he doesn't get the hang of the bottle within a couple of weeks, we are probably destined for another hospital stay and a feeding tube. 

 

Please keep us in your prayers as we make this trek again.  The hardest part so far as been to be upbeat and not take out my frustrations on the other kids.  I can't expect them to behave perfectly because it makes things more convenient for me. 

 

This morning, before the others got up, I was holding Nate and telling him how he was a gift from the Lord and that I was grateful for each minute I have with him. 

 

But here's the thing.  He's not my only gift.  My other kids are also blessings, gifts from the Lord, no less so than Nate.  So is Handsome Hero.  So is my relationship with Christ. 

 

I have been blessed many times over, and I need to view each day through that lens.

 

If you are one of those whom I should have called personally, I apologize.  We are a bit overwhelmed here and I know you understand.  I will continually update the blog when there is news and I have the time.