[tri-med] Re: Quick question regarding fundo for Keren

On Saturday, May 17, 2003, at 07:28 AM, Karen wrote:

>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Kraig Warnemuende"
>>> I
>> guess we're asking again because we have heard from a few naysayers
>> that a fundo eliminates eating ability.
>
> Uhhhh??? NO WAY
> Many typical children with reflux have a fundo with no g-tube and eat 
> just
> fine by mouth. I have often wondered how they cope with venting but
> apparently they do. (A fundo often prevents burping - a g-tube, even 
> if not
> used for eating allows you to vent and prevent gas build up in the 
> stomach -
> which of course can make kids feel full and or uncomfortable)

Thought so, but it's always good to have verification!!!!  Thanks, 
Karen!!!!  Your expertise is a huge help!

>  But he did learn - eventually and now I cannot fill him up!!!! The
> master, when hungry, will now polish off a whole cheese pizza by 
> himself (I
> am NOT kidding) - when not very hungry he only eats three quarters :-))

  Wow!  I hope Keren will enjoy some foods like that someday.  She's 
like Alex--food's okay, but it's not a big joy in life....

> I was really reluctant to have the fundo, and still wonder if we 
> rushed into
> it, but only because we never really tried meds for the reflux. Alex 
> was a
> silent refluxer so I don't know if we could have managed with meds. 
> But I
> don't think it was the fundo that made Alex dependent on tube feeds - 
> and
> even if it did it wouldn't have bothered me. The g-tube made life 
> easier for
> him, he and I were both a lot more relaxed afterwards. If he had never
> learnt to eat orally I wouldn't have been concerned. As I said he hated
> eating, still not his favourite past time and besides there are a lot 
> more
> important things in his life to worry about.

Keren's been on meds since December.  It's helped the reflux, but not 
stopped it.  I'm hoping the fundo will eliminate the need for meds 
altogether....we'll see.  Hate to get her system immune to them....  I 
know what you mean about the g-tube making life easier!  Keren's had an 
ng since her jaw surgery in March and I'm beginning to feel human 
again!  We can actually go places, expose Keren to new and interesting 
things.  You're right, there are more important things to work on that 
feeding by mouth!

Thanks again!

Loren (wife to Kraig, mom to Keren, T18, 7 mo. and counting! :) )
http://webpages.eng.wayne.edu/~ad6075


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