Where are we, medically?

Since I haven’t really given a medical update on Clara in awhile, I thought I’d catch you up.  Last week we went for a developmental screening and physical therapy and this week she had her four month check up and saw the developmental pediatrician (eating specialist) again.  Since her regular pediatrician was on vacation we saw another doctor in the practice for her four month check up and really loved her too.  We’re so thankful that we’ve had such wonderfully positive experiences with all the doctors in our practice so far.  It’s great to know that you’re in good hands.  I was prepared to get the royal shake down about Clara’s weight gain (or lack thereof), but she was actually satisfied.  Clara’s had a growth spurt in terms of her length… she’s about 25 inches now and in the 75th-90^th percentile for height!  Her head circumference is also 75^th-90^th percentile, but she’s only 25^th percentile for weight (12 pounds, 7 ounces, nekkid.)   So, she’s holding on to her curve okay, but not quite gaining at the rate we’d like to see.  Otherwise, this pediatrician was perfectly pleased with Clara’s progress.  Developmentally she’s doing very well [Sidebar: we had a full developmental evaluation last week and she’s at 4 months socially, cognitively and emotionally with just some small delays in the areas of physical and adaptive – which we knew.  This is really remarkable given the time she spent on ECMO so we are very thankful that in most all ways she is behaving and developing like a typical four month old.  We’re continuing with physical therapy to strengthen her muscles and she’s making fabulous progress with that.  And the adaptive stuff will catch up as her eating begins to improve.] and is healthy as can be!  This is the second doctor who has told us she couldn’t hear any difference in her right and left lungs.  Incredible!  She had some infection in her incision site a couple of weeks ago, probably from dissolving stitches, but that’s healing well too.  So, all is well!  The developmental pediatric specialist and the regular pediatrician agree that it’s time to start some solid foods for Clara.  I held off when this was suggested as an option last time because she wasn’t even four months yet, her head control was not as good as it is now and I just didn’t really think she was quite ready.  But I’m okay with starting them now.  So we’re going to try a bit of rice cereal and see if we can sneak some extra calories into this girl and beef her up a bit.  But while they were “a little concerned,” nobody was super panicked or terribly worried.  And that’s good for this mama to hear.  I’m ready to relax a little bit.  I think the best news of all is that we don’t have to see another doctor for a MONTH (weight check) and then until her sixth month check up (another month!).  We’ve been going to some kind of appointment at least twice a week and it’s wearing me and Clara both out.  So, I’m delighted to have a bit of a reprieve from that.  Please continue to pray that we will be successful with solids and that it will help Clara gain the weight she needs to in order to really thrive!  And join us in thanking and praising God for this beautiful miracle each and every day.  We don’t want to ever take her for granted!