We’ve had some big developments recently.

I wasn’t sure if we’d see this day for years to come, but L’s weight gain and growth are fantastic, his vitamin levels are hanging in there, and patch vitamins and his unexpected ability to swallow pills mean there’s really no reason to keep g-tube access, which has really been nothing more than a safety net for the last several months. So as of Aug. 18, we are both line- and tube-free for the first time EVER!

There was a strong possibility that we’d have to go in and have L’s buttonhole surgically closed since he’s had his g-tube for four years. But for once the gut gods decided to take it easy on us, and we were down to just a band-aid by the end of the first weekend (L was excited that he didn’t have to keep the apparently-distressing bandage on his belly very long, but disappointed that water didn’t squirt out of his empty buttonhole every time he took a drink….).

There’s still a chance some residual leakage could cause problems, but everything looked stellar at his 1-month follow-up today.

So now we chug onward.

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