The first was an Barium Swallow test. Which was an out patient procedure that consisted of Vada drinking some liquid while being X-rayed. That test came back to be "normal".
The next tests were inpatient and done throughout an overnight stay. She had an Upper Endoscopy as well as a Esophageal pH probe placed and a biopsy of three areas. (Her throat, stomach and her Duodenum.) She also had a scope done to visually see the area staring at her throat and going into her intestines. After that was done a small device was placed in her throat, right above the opening of her stomach. The device was hooked to a small box that recorded the levels of acid for a twenty three hour period.
{Vada in her hospital gown and sitting on the hospital crib, before surgery}
{Justin and Jasmine stopped in to visit. Justin was on his was to drop Jasmine off at his parents because he was working the night shift and thought to bring me dinner, he's a sweet, sweet man.}
{Vada a few hours after surgery. Over all she did very well. I requested Tylenol or ibuprofen for her pain once over the night and then again in the morning, which seemed to really help and she only pulled the probe out once.}
{This is one of my favorite faces that Vada makes. Every time that she does it, I smile!}
We went in on a Monday and was released on Tuesday. Vada seemed to be uncomfortable and sounded raspy until Friday and then today, we met with Dr. Yaseen to get the results.Vada had two spikes of her levels during the whole twenty three hours. Her numbers were usually between a five and a six when they should have been a seven or higher but it's not considered Acid Reflux or Silent Reflux. Dr. Yaseen said that the biopsy's all came back "normal" as well.
I am still curious as to why she swallows the way she does. I wonder if it is because of her tongue? Maybe she does need vocational therapy (which I am getting a referral from her pediatrician for)? Maybe that's why she will put food in her mouth but not swallow anything. She wont even swallow juice. Just breast milk and only from nursing. She wont take a bottle or sippy. So maybe she is just stubborn too? She doesn't do the odd movements that I recorded a month or so ago, so that could have been the ACTH getting out of her system and her adjusting...? Who knows.
What I do know and now feel comfortable putting into words is that Miss Vada is dong well. Beyond well, she is doing great! It's an amazing feeling to be at this point with her She is almost a year old and finally we don't have to worry as much. We get to enjoy our baby and not be so scared.
The best way to describe things in our home, is that we are being aware. We're aware that Vada has heart issues and were aware that she has Epilepsy but were not allowing those things to overcome the fact that she is here and doing wonderfully.
Praise God! Again, he has answered all of our prayers! What an amazing God we have!
