We're Home

Well, after a very busy week, we made it home safely! Here are the boys having fun on the plane-ride home.

We have a great new program that focuses around getting Noah's reflux and chronic dehydration in order. It is thought by the doctors that chronic dehydration (as opposed to acute dehydration which requires IV fluids) is causing Noah's blood to be overly thick, which makes oxygen delivery more difficult. This causes a number of problems including decreased energy and it is thought that it is contributing to his improvements in mobility to be slower. It all gets very medically technical to explain, but the resolutions are relatively simple.

So just give him more water, right? Well, that's where the reflux becomes such a problem. Noah doesn't like to drink water because it contributes to his reflux (i.e. he associates drinking water with pain).

Noah received several treatments while we were at the institutes, and we came home with some relaxation techniques to do with Noah to calm his reflux and help him to drink more water. The thought is that once we get his reflux better and get more water in him, his blood volume will increase and he will have an easier time improving while doing his program.

Of course we will continue doing other parts of his program that we have been doing, but I must say that while it certainly sounds more exciting to have this big, great physical program, I haven't been quite this excited about Noah's program in a while. Why? Well, when you know your child is in pain on a regular basis (reflux and esophageal spasms), and he's taking a medication you know is not particularly good for many reasons (acid inhibitors cause poor digestion, which in turn increases food allergies and food sensitivities among other problems), and you also know that this is leading to a disinclination for drinking water causing chronic dehydration -- those are big issues that someone is finally addressing in a way you can feel good about it. That is great news!!!

And getting these problems solved will also likely mean huge improvements in other areas -- that means that this should be prayer request #1! (I think I'll make it that).