Lost all Track of Time!

Sorry I haven't updated for a few weeks, things have been quite busy in Veazie! Camden is doing great though, and his last weight at Dr Ross' on Thursday was 13 pounds!! He is tolerating feeds wonderfully, eating about 3 to 4 ounces every few hours. We had one episode of vomiting last weekend, but after a check up by Dr Ross and readjustment of some medications, he quickly recovered and resumed eating up a storm! The home health nurses Chuck and Mimi are wonderful with him! We are looking forward to our check up in Boston this coming Thursday afternoon. I can't wait to tell them that Camden is now taking size 3 diapers, especially at night!
Maddie is having a blast at school. She says a quick bye in the morning, and does not want to leave in the afternoon. Valentine's Day was a lot of fun there too, they had quite the party! I'm not sure she is off her sugar high yet! This past Thursday afternoon, Maddie, Becky and Robin went swimming in Hampden. We then had pizza for dinner. We all had a great time, and Maddie even held her breath and went under water, for a second! She loved "swimming"!
I have even started to pick up some hours at work, to start transitioning. It is nice to focus on something else for a while.

We are Moving into the Big League!!

Camden had his first short bowel clinic yesterday at Children's Hospital in Boston. He slept all the way to the hospital. We arrived an hour or so early so we had to see who was working on the 10th floor and visited for a while. They even helped us figure out why his extension tubing on his G/J tube wasn't fitting right (we removed the small tip of an old extension tube, and now it fits great!!). The nurses were all happy to see how much weight he has gained (almost 2 pounds since discharge!).
We then went to the clinic, and got an official weight, length, and head circumference. Camden is up to 11 pounds, 12 ounces, and his length and head are in the 30th percentile! We met with the social worker, pharmacist, whom gave us our month supply of Omegaven, and the doctors. They were all so pleased with his progress, and how hungry he is acting, that they decided to make some changes in his feedings.
First we are taking him off his tube feedings during the day, and giving him his total amount of tube feedings in 12 hours over night. Camden can now take all the bottles he wants and can tolerate during the day! We also are decreasing his TPN to twelve hours at night, as well as his TPN on 5 nights a week. He will receive sugared saline on his other two nights. One of his GI medicines was stopped too. We did not have any blood work drawn, his discharge labs were great. So our next visit won't be for another three weeks!!
After the visit, Dr Duggan came back into the room to ask if we would consider having Camden be the face of short bowel syndrome for an article Children's Hospital is putting together. They are publishing all of their data about short bowel, STEP procedures, and progress of kids, but needed a child! We said of course, and are awaiting the PR department's call.
While we were in Boston we stayed in a lovely B+B called Hotel Hanson, which had great service, and comfortable bedding! Camden finally slept a night between Andy and myself. I don't think I got anymore sleep, but it was nice!!
The picture is my dad and Camden during his visit on Sunday!

Getting out and around

Camden had an appointment with a pediatric gasteroenteroglogist, Dr Tobbagh, here in Bangor today. It was just a meet and greet, in case of emergencies, but he was very interested in Camden and willing to be a small part of Camden's rather large team! We then visited the NICU and the ED at EMMC and showed him off! It was nice!
We are getting ready to go to Boston on Thursday for Camden's first clinic appointment. I am putting together a list of questions and goals for the trip. We will stay the night at Hotel Hanson and Maddie will get to stay with aunt Alice and uncle Steve's. She will have a blast!
We had a few visitors to the house this week also. Aunt Cathy, Uncle Ron and cousins Heather and Rick stopped in to see Camden and Maddie. Then on Sunday, Grampa Billy dropped in to see the kids. He had not seen Camden since he was first born. He could not believe the changes! He even gave Camden his afternoon bottle!
We are slowly getting into a routine at the house too. Why does it seem that I am doing twice the laundry with only one extra person in the house???

Busy Days at the Browns

Camden had his first check up with his pediatrician, Dr Ross on Thursday. He has already gained a quarter of a pound, up to 10 pounds and 12 ounces (4.82 kg).!! The rest of his checkup was unremarkable, but this time we were to take a few pictures of Camden with Dr Ross. I'll post one after I check with Dr Ross to be sure it ok to put his photo on the web.
Today was our nephew, Dylan's, birthday party. All four of us drove to the Caanan motel, where we found twenty kids in the indoor swimming pool. I looked over and Maddie was stripping down to her birthday suit ready to jump in. She would not even get out for cake and ice cream! Andy and Tara swam with her too! We then had lunch with Travis and Tara. Naps for the three non-drivers on the way home too.
We are still trying to get a routine for the house too. With Maddie in daycare during the week, it has helped her adjust well. I am trying to figure out when I will be returning to work, which may not be full time for a month or so. Andy is back to work full time already.