Asher Update and A Lunch Date!

So sorry for all of you waiting to hear how the ENT checkup went yesterday. The internet wasn't working this morning when I usually type up my blog updates....but now it is so here it is ;)

Wednesday morning came....finally! Just a little earlier than I had wanted...Joel woke at 6:30 and crawled in bed with us and cute as can be fell back asleep on top of us. VERY Unusually for him.....he never was one to cuddle in bed OR sleep with us. But today he did and we enjoyed the moment so much that we both overslept our alarms. So the rest of the morning was spent playing catch up and find the office but we did eventually make the appointment, with 1 minute to spare, no thanks to YAHOO maps..bah!!

Anyways, Matt and I were waiting in the room, trying to soothe Asher and fill out last minute paperwork when Dr. Kosko came in and stood staring at Asher for a few moments with a strange look on his face. Finally he said "how long has he sounded like THAT?" because apparently he was louder than the doctor had expected him to be. I said "for quite a while now....almost since coming home". The nurse walked in then with the "scope'y thingy"...technical term of course....and they proceeded to stick the scope tube up Asher's little nose and down his throat so that we could see his vocal chords. The screen was blurry for a minute while they moved the scope into place, but then we saw them. Two of the most beautifully, FULLY FUNCTIONING vocal chords I have ever laid my eyes on!!! We only got to see them for a brief moment and then the tube was removed. Dr. Kosko told the nurse to schedule the swallow study at Arnold Palmer and told us to follow up with him in 3 months. Then, in a whirl, the nice doctor was gone.
Matt and I were having our own little party in the room while we gathered our things. I was so happy as thoughts of soon being able to nurse my little boy filled my head.

We were in and out of the office within 20-30 minuts....the fastest check up I have ever been to with Asher. This gave us a couple hours worth of free time before our next appointment with the GI doctor, so we decided to go spend some time together at the Orlando House of Prayer (OHOP). It was nice being able to just relax in God's presence for a while. I think I'm a little high strung and need time like this more regularly to unwind...at the very least.

Asher in the OHOP entryway. We want to get him into that kind of prayer environment on a regular basis. I was reminded of the verse in Psalms 92 and the understanding it gave me regarding the keys to Asher's full recovery. We are seeking God's wisdom on how to place him like a Samuel in the "courts of our God".

Psa 92:12-15 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

After spending about 2 1/2 hours at OHOP we headed back towards orlando to grab a quick bite to eat before our next appointment.

Matt and I ate lunch at Numero Uno, a Cuban restaurant just down the street from Arnold Palmer on Orange Ave. Our friend, Carolyn, recommended it to us saying it was cheap AND the best Cuban food she has ever tasted! With a glowing review like that, we had to try it out. It was really nice...Matt and I don't get a chance to really have dates anymore. I know we need to take time for ourselves and invest in our relationship....we have heard it all before....but with the events of the past few months, that has been an after thought. So, today was just nice to get away and enjoy some good food togther while Asher slept quietly and Joel was napping at "Mamma Glenna's". We both ordered the lunch specials: I got Beef Stew and Matt got Roasted Chicken, both came with a side of yellow rice and a small salad, then we added a small side of black beans. The stew was the best in my opinion!

The next appointment was the GI doctor and he alleviated my concern about some yellow liquid backing up in Asher's G-tube (feeding tube). It was just stomach acid....it just looked like a lot to me, but I think Asher is going through a growth spurt and was just burning through his milk doses faster than before ...and was just getting HUNGRY. So, we upped the amount of his feeds.

So, there are the updates on my angel boy! He is continuing to do VERY WELL at home and I am so excited about the prospect of being able to nurse him soon!!

Please keep that in your prayers....that he will re-learn to nurse effortlessly and we both have no more problems in that department with yeast.

Also, please pray about Asher's little right pinky finger. Matt noticed last night that it doesn't want to straighten out more than half way. I know for sure that it wasn't like that before he went into the hospital and I'm concerned that it may have gotten dislocated while he was there and then healed wrong. I'm waiting to hear back from the social services worker about how to follow up on getting that fixed.

Blessings!
~Erika~