Our Cheeky Monkey and more Buddy Walk info...

Ammon laughs or smiles everytime we say that to him. Yeah! It's been a week and Ammon's tube is working just fine! We are still able to feed him normal food, but when he won't eat or drink as much as he should, we don't have to try to force him to eat more, just plug him in and we are good to go. I didn't realize how much stress this would take away from me. For a long time I felt like everyday I was trying to preserve his life by trying to get him to drink or eat more. It might be inconvenient to go places and it is stressful to worry about the tube staying in, not getting infected and right now not letting him roll over, but those things are liveable, not eating or drinking is not liveable. So many things that we take for granted.

The doctor was trying to understand his situation a little more while we were at the hospital and was a little perplexed that he wasn't sick more (more? like we aren't sick enough?). Then he said "so basically you try to get him to eat all day long." Yes, I said that is exactly what I do. I never thought of Ammon as refusing to eat, but that is what he was doing. The doctor then said that Ammon's lack of eating and drinking was probably his way of protecting himself (there's another blessing in here, and we didn't even realize all these years). So many kids the doctor sees have serious damage to their esophagus and are constantly contracting pneumonia or other respiratory diseases. We thought it was bad getting submitted to the hospital once a year! But Ammon's esophagus and everything else looked just fine. He has a hard time chewing with his teeth and controlling liquids. We found out earlier this summer that he was asperating on thin liquids-basically choking everytime we gave him a drink. We have been thickening his food since he started eating as a baby, to make it easier for him to eat and to add calories, but we weren't doing that to his drinks. So after that test we have been thickening everything he drinks too. I thought he was protesting the texture, but maybe it is still too hard for him to do. We are always experimenting and praying to figure him out! The best thing of all is that he has been laughing a lot this last week. It's so nice to see him smile more. We think that even though the tube is initially painful at times, it might also be like having something tickle your tummy all the time. He has been super giggly at times and we love it! Maybe, it's just because he's finally getting all the nutrition he needs and isn't simply hungry all the time. Hopefully he will gain his strength back and gain weight! Thanks for all those prayers!

Ammon loves to be talked to, even at those times when he doesn't say much back. Here's some of the favorite phrases over the last week that bring big smiles and laughs. "Is Ammon a Cheeky Monkey in the Cheeky Room?" "Ammon looks handsome!" "Holy Moly" (thanks Ben for that one) "Ammon, you look nice!" "Pootie Tootie" (don't ask how this one came to be, it brings a smile and laugh and that's all that matters).

BUDDY WALK INFO:
Online registration ends tomorrow night. But don't worry, you can still register on Saturday at the actually Buddy Walk or Buddy 5K (no additional fee for same day registry). The 5K registration, T-shirt pickup, etc. starts at 8am then the race starts at 8:30am (Cheney meltdown should start about 8:40am). The Walk registration-picking up your shirts- and games and carnival stuff start at 10am, the Walk usually takes place closer to 11am and then lunch is at 12. The location is the Centerville Community Park (take the Centerville exit off I-15, go east and then turn left at Dairy Queen, go straight for about a mile and the park will be on your left, you may have to park at the church across the street). We are so excited for everyone that has signed up and hope to see many more of you there at the event. Thank you again to everyone for truly being one of Ammon's Heroes!!! For all the support everyone has always given Ammon we hope you truly do feel like a Hero!