The Amazing Medical Adventures of Noah Daniel.

Just in case you don't know, a new born baby requires a lot of visits to the doctor. A couple visits while in the hospital, then at 5 days old, then at 2 weeks old, again at 4 weeks old and then at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months... etc. Most people would see enough of their pediatrician in the first year of their baby's life to last a life time, but no, not me! By now I should be on a first name basis with Noah's doctor.

In case you missed my last blog, Noah has had a problem with spitting up, and had to have two extra visits just to monitor his weight gain. He's now in the 12th percentile! YAY!!! Outside of those extra visits we had to see an ear, nose, and throat specialist to check on the internal situation with Noah's micro cleft. We wanted to make sure that his palate and nasal cavity were fully formed, and closed.

Lucky for us the news from the specialist was good. Noah's nasal cavity and palate are absolutely perfect. However due to the slight nasal deformation from the micro cleft his septum will likely become deviated and he will probably need surgery at about age 14... isn't he lucky... other than that nothing NEEDS to be done. We do have the option of minor plastic surgery to fix his Vermillion Border when he is about two. For those of you who don't know what a Vermillion Border is, don't feel bad, I didn't either. These blogs are slowly become a dictionary lesson. Today's words are Vermillion Border!

ver·mil·ion border

noun \vər-ˈmil-yən-\  : the exposed pink or reddish margin of a lip.

So this:

Now as if the multiple doctors visits aren't enough, Noah's spitting up issue has been getting worse, and he has been inconsolably fussy majority of the time that he is awake. He has also developed a lovely little umbilical hernia, this just never ends, so we scheduled yet another visit with his doctor to talk about the worsening projectile vomiting and his belly button bump.

The doctor immediately scheduled an appointment at the hospital for Noah to have an ultrasound. Why, you ask, because he was concerned about a little thing called Pyloric Stenosis. Pyloric Stenosis is when the valve going from the stomach to the intestines (the Pyloric Valve) becomes thick and food has a hard time travelling from the stomach to the intestines, which causes a swollen stomach, and projectile vomiting. It is more common in males than females and even more common in first born males for some reason. It can only be corrected through surgery.

So of course a very nervous me headed over to mountain view hospital for our infant son to have an ultra sound. He had to come on an empty stomach so he was already cranky. We got him on the table and I had a bottled made up for him because he had to be eating during the ultrasound so the technician could see how liquid was moving from his stomach into his intestines.

As he was being poked and prodded with the ultrasound wand he was becoming very irritated and wiggly, which I can understand makes the techs job very difficult. This particular tech was a (I think) middle eastern man probably in his fifties and wasn't very patient with my wiggly 7 week old. After Noah finished his bottle, the man instructed me to make him another bottle and feed him until his stomach was completely full. A tiny baby has a tiny stomach, so a few sips in to the second bottle, Noah was done, but began to fuss at the constant poking on his full belly, so the man kept insisting we continue to feed him to quiet him up.

At his wishes we reluctantly tried to feed him more, but my poor baby's belly was becoming full and sticking out over his little diaper, and began to get more and more fussy. After about the fifth time the man insisted we feed him more, I was getting pretty irate. My baby was overly full, uncomfortable, and confused and this you-know-what man was so inconvenienced by his wiggling that he was trying to force us to make him MORE uncomfortable. After almost an hour of fussing and heart wrenching "why are you doing this to me" looks, my poor little boy was so worn out that he completely crashed on the table, and the man was finally pleased and finished his work and by the grace of god, my nails stayed away from his eyes.

After the nightmare was over we did find out that he doesn't have Pyloric Stenosis. He likely has a little bug or possibly mild reflux, but nothing too threatening. I have pretty much decided that I am becoming the human encyclopedia of random things that can possibly happen to your baby, so feel free to access me any time you feel the need.