Thankful Day 18

18.  Weekends and Truth

I am very thankful for weekends.  We have tried to be quite intentional about having fun, memory-making family times on weekends since we moved to Ohio.  We really try to make the most of our time together!  After a great week, it's nice to finish off with a great weekend.  After a hard week, the weekend is much needed respite to fill back up before starting all over again.

This week has been a harder week.  Anna Reaghan's doctor said she is beautiful and perfect :), but we are working out some kinks with her.  What I thought was just impatience while eating and then a growth spurt seems muuuuuuch more likely to be "silent reflux."  She does not spit up--I am thankful for that!  But the more I read about silent reflux, the more it sounds so, so, so much like Anna Reaghan.  It's been a fretful week as her discomfort from the reflux has taken a hit on her weight gain.  After going through Asa's failure to thrive, it is absolutely gut-wrenching to know AR's growth pattern has changed.  Again, our doctor isn't worried at all.  But I've been so far down this road that taking even one step in this direction again has felt overwhelming and heart breaking.  God has provided tons of encouragement through Matt, my mom, and friends.  They are trying to drown out all the fears and accusations in my head with TRUTH instead.  And I was able to make an appointment with the lactation consultant for Monday afternoon.  In reading that AR's symptoms sound like classic silent reflux, I am very hopeful that the LC will have seen many babies like this before and have some ideas of how to get AR back on track and ease her pain.  We have also started Zantac and are anxiously awaiting some relief from it (or not, so we can increase the dose or switch meds per our doctor's instructions).  In the meantime, it is very reassuring to read that Anna Reaghan's tummy issues for the past 4 months actually align with silent reflux--it all makes sense now.  Please pray with us as God brings it to mind that we will find things to help her not only feel better but also get back on track with her eating and weight gain!!  Thank you!!