We finally made it home last night after being gone for over two months!!! YAY!!! Mya has been off her tube now for 7 weeks!!!! The trip home went pretty smooth but boy were we excited to get to the house!!!! It was almost weird walking in!!!
I think I have a whole new appreciation for our home....family....friends.....you name it!!! I missed home and everything about it and so did Mya!!! We were actually awake until 1:00 in the morning because the kid wouldn't go to sleep and stop playing with her toys!!!!
We made one call to the grandparents and I think as quick as they could find their car keys they were here! What a great family we are surrounded by!! The house was spotless...we had flowers planted in our pots....groceries in the fridge....fresh baked cookies on the counter.....ballons....and a ton of welcome home gifts!!!! We couldn't be happier!!!! Thank you to everyone that has been there for us through this journey!!!!
So far the feedings at home have been going fairly well. We made our first batch of food today as well. We will be feeding her these purees for a few months and then move on to solids so it's going to be several months until things are "normal." But slowly but surely we are making our way to a tube free...eating...drinking...healthy little girl! I will for sure continue to update the blog with all her progress!
We go back to Cincinnati the end of May and by then the tube will for sure be coming out!
Wanted to just write a quick update but know I have to unpack while the little critter is napping!!! God Bless!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
So Excited!
We are still coming home on Monday and can't hardly wait!!!! We have a long road ahead of us but it will all be worth it in the end!!! Thanks again to all our supporters!!! We couldn't have done it without you!! There really is no place like home!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
We're Coming Home!!!!
We officially booked our flight today to come home on Monday the 22nd!!!! We are sooo excited to get back to Indiana!!! We have the best family and friends anyone could ask for and are so thankful for each and every one of you!!!
I can't believe we are actually going to be packing up in just a few short days!!! It feels like we have been here for forever!! I'm sure as soon as the plane touches down we will feel right back at home!!! Can't wait!!!
I can't believe we are actually going to be packing up in just a few short days!!! It feels like we have been here for forever!! I'm sure as soon as the plane touches down we will feel right back at home!!! Can't wait!!!
Monday, March 15, 2010
6 Weeks....No tube!!!
Mya has now been 6 full weeks without use of her feeding tube! After a bit of a rough weekend we went and spent the day at the Feeding Clinic again today. Hopefully tomorrow gets even better and we can still plan to come home on the 22nd! We can't wait to get home especially since the weather is getting so much better!
Matt is anxious to get home and get back in the groove of working! He has been so great while we have been here and I know will continue to support Mya and I when we get home! Mya has been so used to having her Daddy around everyday it's going to be an adjustment for her!
She has lost a bit of weight from her very top but still well over 21 pounds!! We are going to have her weight checked every week and make sure she is getting enough calories. We have also noticed an increase in her interest in eating "normal" food.
So we definitely had a bump over the weekend but overall we still feel great about the process!
Matt is anxious to get home and get back in the groove of working! He has been so great while we have been here and I know will continue to support Mya and I when we get home! Mya has been so used to having her Daddy around everyday it's going to be an adjustment for her!
She has lost a bit of weight from her very top but still well over 21 pounds!! We are going to have her weight checked every week and make sure she is getting enough calories. We have also noticed an increase in her interest in eating "normal" food.
So we definitely had a bump over the weekend but overall we still feel great about the process!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Day 2 On Our Own!
Mya had a record meal tonight at supper!!!! We did the meal in 20 minutes and 47 seconds!!! That's the best we have done thus far!!! Things are definitely looking up around here! I think we are going to have a bad meal here and there but overall I think we can totally handle this when we get home! If we run into problems we will video tape the meal and upload it for Ben to watch or just do a live web cam meal with him so he can help us!
I think we made a great decision by coming here! Ben has been amazing!! He is so excited for us and has had us call him after every meal for the last two days to make sure we are getting along okay!! Talk about support!!!
We are still feeling the love from back home and got some really nice cards and packages this week!!! Thank you to everyone that has thought and prayed for us over the last 2 months!!! Mya has been over 5 weeks without use of her tube and there is no going back now!!
We can't wait to get home!!!! I can't say it enough! I am looking forward to getting things back to normal and enjoying our time with our healthy little girl!!! No more doctor's appointments....no more therapy appointments.....no more tests!!!! The only thing left to do is get that tube officially out of her belly!
Thank you again and look out Indiana the Holderly's are flying home really soon!!!!! YAY!!!!
I think we made a great decision by coming here! Ben has been amazing!! He is so excited for us and has had us call him after every meal for the last two days to make sure we are getting along okay!! Talk about support!!!
We are still feeling the love from back home and got some really nice cards and packages this week!!! Thank you to everyone that has thought and prayed for us over the last 2 months!!! Mya has been over 5 weeks without use of her tube and there is no going back now!!
We can't wait to get home!!!! I can't say it enough! I am looking forward to getting things back to normal and enjoying our time with our healthy little girl!!! No more doctor's appointments....no more therapy appointments.....no more tests!!!! The only thing left to do is get that tube officially out of her belly!
Thank you again and look out Indiana the Holderly's are flying home really soon!!!!! YAY!!!!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
March 10th- Our First Day On Our Own!
We had our first day today without Ben by our side to coach us through the feeding. Overall it was a good day. We made our ounce mark each feeding!!! We took a bit more time with the feedings but Mya also had more refusal behavior since Ben was not here. I feel like we are well on our way to getting on a plane and heading home and it feels great!!!! We are so ready to come home but definitely need to make sure we are ready feeding wise! We are hoping to head home on March 22nd!
Mya's drinking has been going great!!! We are going days at a time now with no little "burp vomits." It's amazing how she just drinks the milk now with no resistance! When my parents were here they just couldn't believe it!!! She just drinks the milk like every other kid on the block!!!
We are so proud of Mya it's unbelievable! We have seen a huge transformation in her since we have started therapy! She is finally outgrowing her winter clothes as well!! We have to finish the journey for several months to come but have already noticed Mya showing more interest in table foods that we are eating. She had several bites of yogurt the other day and some chicken this afternoon!!
Overall we had a great first day!!!!!
Mya's drinking has been going great!!! We are going days at a time now with no little "burp vomits." It's amazing how she just drinks the milk now with no resistance! When my parents were here they just couldn't believe it!!! She just drinks the milk like every other kid on the block!!!
We are so proud of Mya it's unbelievable! We have seen a huge transformation in her since we have started therapy! She is finally outgrowing her winter clothes as well!! We have to finish the journey for several months to come but have already noticed Mya showing more interest in table foods that we are eating. She had several bites of yogurt the other day and some chicken this afternoon!!
Overall we had a great first day!!!!!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Starting Week 8 on Monday!
Today was the best day we have had thus far as far as feedings go! We are trying to stay positive but some days it is awfully hard! Especially since we have been away from home for almost 2 months! We hope (and hope is a pretty big word) that we can head home 2 weeks from tomorrow. I shouldn't even type that because it may very well be longer. We are sooo unbelievably excited to see our family and friends but at the same time we know that Mya can not get sick when we get home. We can't have any set backs at all!! So, hopefully we will be able to see everyone and keep her well!
Mya had her highest weight a few days ago at 21lbs. 13 oz.!!!!! WOW!!!! Everyday it fluctuates a bit but from a week to week basis it is definitely on the up side! I never thought that we would come home with her weighing this much!! I guess it goes to show how much nutrition plays a huge roll in her development!
So, for the time being we are trying to stay as positive as we can and just keep plugging along each day!! If all goes well we should finish up therapy sessions with Ben on Tuesday! But who knows with this crazy kid!!!
Mya had her highest weight a few days ago at 21lbs. 13 oz.!!!!! WOW!!!! Everyday it fluctuates a bit but from a week to week basis it is definitely on the up side! I never thought that we would come home with her weighing this much!! I guess it goes to show how much nutrition plays a huge roll in her development!
So, for the time being we are trying to stay as positive as we can and just keep plugging along each day!! If all goes well we should finish up therapy sessions with Ben on Tuesday! But who knows with this crazy kid!!!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Update from week 7!
I can't believe we have been away for 7 weeks now! Mya's vomiting is pretty much well under control at this point. A few problems here and there but nothing we can't handle. We started taking over therapy this week and what a long week we were in for! I left in tears after trying to feed Mya twice. It was much harder than what I had anticipated. We have watched every therapy session and felt pretty confident going into it. It was defiantly not a monkey see...monkey do kind of thing. It is hard work to feed this kid!
Matt and I had a long talk and he suggested that at this point that he become the primary feeder. He is doing an amazing job and he doesn't even have many days under his belt. Mya basically had learned with Ben that she could not refuse bites. She learned that she couldn't clamp her mouth....she couldn't block the food with her tongue....etc. Now unfortunately she has to learn that she can't do those things with Matt either. Consistency is the key....not showing emotions even when she clamps down on your finger with the death grip of a pit bull!!! He has to learn from Ben what to do when these things happen and how to correct the problem. With time she will learn and not give him such a hard time.
She is one smart little cookie that's for sure! I can't imagine how difficult this would have been if we would have waited even longer to get her treatment! I am so proud of Matt and Mya both for all that they have accomplished so far!! If I could nominate Matt for Father of the Year he would be sure to win!!! He is patient and very determined!! There is no doubt in my mind that he can do this! After a weeks at home when things calm down I will start the feeding process as well. Things will defiantly be a much easier transition by then.
We so appreciate all the continued thoughts, cards, emails, texts, and prayers!!! Mya is so loved! She has been without use of her feeding tube for a little over 4 weeks now! We hardly even notice it being there anymore! Hopefully we will be on our own feeding Mya by the end of the weekend. Then we will stay about 2 weeks to make sure we don't run into major problems before we head home! We can't wait to be home and get back to Indiana!!
Matt and I had a long talk and he suggested that at this point that he become the primary feeder. He is doing an amazing job and he doesn't even have many days under his belt. Mya basically had learned with Ben that she could not refuse bites. She learned that she couldn't clamp her mouth....she couldn't block the food with her tongue....etc. Now unfortunately she has to learn that she can't do those things with Matt either. Consistency is the key....not showing emotions even when she clamps down on your finger with the death grip of a pit bull!!! He has to learn from Ben what to do when these things happen and how to correct the problem. With time she will learn and not give him such a hard time.
She is one smart little cookie that's for sure! I can't imagine how difficult this would have been if we would have waited even longer to get her treatment! I am so proud of Matt and Mya both for all that they have accomplished so far!! If I could nominate Matt for Father of the Year he would be sure to win!!! He is patient and very determined!! There is no doubt in my mind that he can do this! After a weeks at home when things calm down I will start the feeding process as well. Things will defiantly be a much easier transition by then.
We so appreciate all the continued thoughts, cards, emails, texts, and prayers!!! Mya is so loved! She has been without use of her feeding tube for a little over 4 weeks now! We hardly even notice it being there anymore! Hopefully we will be on our own feeding Mya by the end of the weekend. Then we will stay about 2 weeks to make sure we don't run into major problems before we head home! We can't wait to be home and get back to Indiana!!
Big Basin
Big Basin National Park was about a 45 minute drive from the clinic so one afternoon we decided to check it out! It was a true test to see if Mya would get sick in the car for sure! All the turns and curves were enough for me! She handled it very well and enjoyed all the scenery as well! There are a few pictures we took along the way.
Me standing next to one of the biggest trees we saw at the park.
Pictures can't describe these huge trees!
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