HK Current Update :)

  I was in Birmingham this weekend, and ran into a girl I went to Jr. High with who reads the blog.  I haven't talked to her in quite a long time. :) It was great to see her and visit for a while.  Mom & I were shopping for HK, and she worked in the store we were in.  While helping us shop, she quickly said, you've got to hurry on the blog! :)  Catch up, so we'll know what's going on.  hahahaha....   I know that is what 99% of you are thinking.  So, since Rebecca reminded me I needed to update, today's post is a current update on what is going on with this little peanut.
  Harper Kate has struggled with terrible acid reflux for a few months now.  A couple of weeks ago, she had the stomach bug on a Friday.  During that day and through the weekend we gave her pedialyte mixed with her breastmilk mixture through the tube and took away her rice cereal.  When I took away the rice cereal, I noticed that her reflux got much better!  I called the GI doctor and after multiple phone calls and working through her nutrition with my sister-in-law and dietician guru, Kristen, we have removed her rice cereal and added some more formula to her breastmilk for calories.  Apparently, Harper Kate was having a very difficult time digesting the rice cereal.  Needless to say, ever since we took that away, she has been a much happier baby with all digestive track issues working much better. :)  hahaha 
  Taking away the rice cereal did not completely solve the reflux problem.  We have been planning on getting a g-tube for Harper Kate for some time now.  This mom is way past ready to have that tube out of her nose!  I think it will be a little while for Harper Kate to learn how to eat by mouth, so the g-tube will be a feeding tube in her stomach.  It's a flat little button surgically put into her skin next to her belly button, and that connects right to her stomach to be fed.  Getting this g-tube tends to make reflux worse, so there is a surgical procedure that doctors will do pretty often with babies that have terrible reflux.  It's called a fundiplication.  I know, big words, but basically, they tighten her esophogus so that nothing is able to come up. :)  After these procedures, my little angel should be feeling MUCH better. 
  We head to Children's Hospital tomorrow for her surgery.  It will begin at 9:30 EST.  I'd ask for your prayers as we send our little angel into her first surgery.  As a momma, I'm a bit nervous, but I know she is going to be in wonderful hands.  I've been extremely impressed with everything we've had done at Scottish Rite so far.  Please pray for the procedure to be successful.  There is a chance that the fundiplication will not work if her reflux is that bad, but I'm certainly praying against that!  Also, pray for peace of mind for Jarod and me while we wait.  Once again, we have wonderful parents who will be coming to sit with us during her surgery.  I can't say enough how blessed we are to have family who takes care of Jarod and me while we take care of HK. :) 
  Other than that, therapy is continuing to go well.  Her neck is getting stronger by the day and her therapists are proud of her progress.  Her eyes are able to focus a short amount of time and she moves her eyes to find various sounds that she hears.  A very positive thing for Harper Kate is that her personality is extremely social.  That will really drive her to want to accomplish things because she wants to interact with her surroundings.
  I'll try to update by Thursday or Friday with how the surgery goes.  We will be in the hospital for a couple of days, so maybe I can update while I'm there.  Thanks for the prayers. 
Much love,
Courtney