well...almost

Soon after I posted yesterday Lars started to get upset. He screamed much of the rest of the afternoon & evening. Seemed to be in pain. Makes sense--they really have to yank the peg out & it had to be painful. There's a piece on the inside of the stomach keeping it from falling out usually (if you want to see what it looks like on the inside of the stomach, click here.) They literally wrap the outside tubing around their fist & pull it through. With no anesthetic. Ouch.

So anyway, we gave him some nice meds last night & lil'man is happy & pain-free this morning. Here's Larsy with his new mic-key button (that's gauze under it): The red on his skin is from the tape and duoderm we used to have to have all over his belly. This is mic-key hooked up for feeding: The old peg used to have to go straight in; this one is way flatter against his belly so he doesn't mess with it as much, so it theoretically won't get as much granulation tissue & won't be as painful. The evening's meds & tubes.

all's well

Procedure went fine, home now & happy as ever. Photos later this evening...

tomorrow is mic-key day

Lars' procedure is tomorrow at 12:30; we have to be there by 11:45. If all goes well we'll be in & out (it's in a surgical area in case something goes wrong) with a brand new button & no more foot of tube hanging out of the belly for Lars to chew on, pop open, spill stomach contents all over from...these are near daily events. Also hoping the mic-key causes less skin breakdown. So grateful we've had the tube these past six months. Will let you know how it went.

Davis' farmland

Lars has a Davis' Farmland membership again this year & enjoys his trips very much. Feeling, petting, hugging, being nibbled by extremely friendly baby goats, sheep, calves... Way fun. Llamas, alpacas, chickens, donkeys, cows, pigs, turkeys, peacocks...lots of animals to listen to, a fabulous hayride with many tactile elements (hay, horns, horseshoes), and riding horses. The only place he's ever ridden a horse & loved it every time. He laid his face right down on the neck of the pony and laughed hysterically the entire time.

There's also a huge play area and a water/spray park which is great for Joa & company...Lars has fun catching the mist-filled breezes from the spray, but he's much more of a still water guy.