Food

Drew passed his esophagram this morning!! Which means he has healed enough that his esophagus doesn't leak, and he can have food. He got to have his crib back today. (He's been in a warmer for the last week). And they pulled the tube from his nose. He is currently on 4.5 mcg/kg/hr of fentynal, which is his pain med. He gets ativan every 6 hours and started prevacid today.
I helped give him a sponge bath this morning and he cooed at me quite a bit during that. Afterward, though, he was pretty tired. He slept a few hours, and then we were given the go ahead to try and feed him by mouth. His care team and I were so excited!! We got him out of bed and this is how is first attempt at feeding went:

So we decided to let him rest some more before trying to feed him. The surgeon came and talked to me and said that he should start back on G-tube feedings, starting at 4cc/hour continuous and work on oral feedings when he's up to it. We tried to feed him again, but he didn't want to even suck on his pacifier. Probably his throat and chest are too sore still, so he is avoiding using those muscles. We'll try again tomorrow. Once he's done well from a bottle a few times, to make sure he can suck AND swallow, then I can start trying to nurse him.

He will have his chest tube in until he is getting half of his full volume for feeding. That will probably be Wed/Thurs this week with the G-tube.

He'll slowly be weaned on the fentynal as well.

His requirements for going home are the following: maintain body temperature-done; maintain oxygen saturation-he's on oxygen for now, but will probably be off in a few days; take full feedings; and gain weight.