'Big Day Tommorrow'

Tommorrow is Kadens big day he's 1 year old!Can hardly believe this time last year of how uncertain our unborn baby's outcome in life would be.We're so proud of every little milestone our son achieves and how he battles on no matter what was thrown at him in his early days.We're so thankful to have a happy healthy boy as CDH is a devastating condition for all concerned and has a very high mortality rate.And hopefuly one day soon there will be more that can be done for this dreadful condition.

We're having a little party for him on Saturday .We've put some recent photo's in the local paper of Kaden tommorrow for his birthday.Kaden had a busy morning trying to get his sisters out of bed to start with and then off to the doctors for 10 a.m to get his immunisation which he got in his right leg,and cryed for all of 1 second and forgot all about it.Then next month he has to get a further 2 injections of which one is the MMR.The last few days Kadens been enjoying the Aberdeen weather which has been really hot and sunny for a change - so we've been making the most of it.Chillin out in the Garden and going for walks.The kids are on Summer holidays right now and they only have 3 weeks more before they go back to school.We're so glad we have stayed home so far in the holidays as the weathers been not too bad.We're saving up for our big hols to Oz in October.(Cant wait)I'll post some photo's of Kaden over the last few days in the garden.

Kaden & His Sisters

What a nightmare trying to get 3 children looking at the camera at the same time!!I'm glad i'm not a photographer!!Ha Ha

7 more days to go!!

The countdown is on - and Kaden has 7 more days to go until he turns 1!!We can hardly believe where the year has gone and how quickly our special wee man is growing up!!Yesterday Kadens new car arrived and the girls and i put it together(an early present).Kaden couldn't wait to get in it.We need to strap him in as he stands up sometimes in it.Here's some pics of Kaden trying it out today - and boy was he having fun!!

Tuesday 15th July

Kaden has now got 6 teeth and boy does he know how to grind them!!Today i sat Kaden in his highchair and put some beans in front of him,but may i say they went everywhere else but his mouth.Kaden has been trying to bum shuffle today which has been quite funny to watch - he doesn't get too far but he can move a bit.He's a real poser as i write this he's sat right in front of the mirror looking at himself and clapping his hands,and rasping.Heres a few pictures of Kaden tonight after his bean episode!.

Monday 14th July

Kaden had a hearing test at the hospital today - much to his disgust!!He wasn't very co-operative at all.As soon as i sat him in the little chair on his own he started whinning.So the lady asked me to put him on my knee.In front of us was a 2 way mirror which i learnt a man was behind watching Kadens every move.At either side there was 3 boxes on top of each other - one with a green fluffy thing in it,the other had a fire engine in it,and the other had a white rabbit in it.As soon as the man started the noise from the left with the flashing light Kaden started crying.It was like sitting in the ghost train hearing all the noises and scary things all around you with flashing lights.Kaden was not impressed!!After the test he said he had no concerns with Kadens hearing,had i?I have no issues at all with his hearing.He said he wouldn't see Kaden again unless we had any worries and was refferred upto the hospital again.He told me the reason he was checking his hearing was that Kaden had spent more than 5 days in the neo-natal and often these babies have hearing problems.
I'm glad that tests over with and thats another hurdle we have got over with flying colours.
We also met with the dieticion who asked about Kadens feeding.Kaden never seems too keen to eat anything.She said she'll have a word with the surgeon and the speech and language people and we'll catch up on the 28th July when Kaden has an appointment at the hospital for physio.

Friday 11th July

The countdown is on ;2 weeks today and Kaden will be 1 year old!!

Hospital Follow Up Appointment

We had a hospital appointment yesterday to meet with Kadens surgeon - Prof Youngson.He had a look at Kadens gastrostomy site to see all was well,and had a general look over Kadens hospital notes.He asked how Kaden was doing with his oral feeding and finger foods,which i replied not too great.Kadens not really interested in eating oraly at all.The surgeon says we'll just have to be patient and he'll have to keep his button til he eats completly on his own.He said he was happy with Kaden and was i happy with his development - which i am.He said he'll see us again in 4 months.But to catch up with the dietition in the meantime.

Today i got some bad news - a girl i met in hospital (when we were in the neo-natal) called to say her sister was killed instantly in a road crash last night.The poor girl was only 22 years old and heading home from work.

Life can be so cruel and hard at times,and make you relise how lucky we are and to take each day as it comes.

Last night i also got an email from a lady who's pregnant with a baby boy called Kaden who also has CDH,and is due on 25th August.Please keep Jamie and baby Kaden in your prayers.

L@@k At Me!!

'Wow Our boy is 11 months old!!'

Kaden was 11 months old on the 25th June - how time flies!!The countdown is now on for his 1st Birthday.Kaden is whizzing everywhere these days in his babywalker.Today was a lovely day and Kaden spent some time in his walker in the garden watching his sister on the trampoline.Kaden has the hospital on Tuesday to get his button changed as the one he has at the moment is leaking - once you stop his feed and unattach the connection you have to close the button real quick as the milk has started to come back out.I called the hospital and the nurse told me his button needs replaced as sometimes the seal stops working after a while.Apart from that no complaint s about Kaden he's just growing up too fast!!We have another appoinment next week to see the surgeon,so hopefully he'll be pleased with Kaden.I'm going to mention to him that Kaden has started being sick after his feeds,which is a new thing - after he had his fundo he was never sick.I think Kaden gags so much maybe he has slackened his fundo op - but i dont know for sure,so we'll wait and see what the surgeon says.

''Our Big Boy'

Today has been a really wet and wild day - so we stayed in and built Kadens new big boy bed.Kadens grown out of his moses basket now ,his head was reaching the top.Kaden has now got a racing car bed - and we built it right next to ours for thr forseeable future.Today i took a picture of him snoozing on the bed after his bath.So far he LOVES IT!We'll see when it comes to bedtime!!

Friday 20th June

On A Sad Note ;

Today our thoughts are with Baby Skylas family - as it is her funeral today as she lost her battle with life on Friday 13th June after fighting so hard for life for 8 months.Her family must be so proud of their little angel.

Wednesday 18th June

Kaden has 4 teeth now and a 5th coming through.Kaden is sitting on his own really well these days - although when i put him down to go and do anything he doesn't like it - he just sits and crys!!I'm hoping once he's walking he'll be a happier boy - following me allover the place.He just loves attention.Recently he's been going through a funny stage - when someone talks to him his lippy goes on and he'll start to cry.I'm sure he'll grow out of it.He loves standing onthe sofa looking out of the window at his sisters on the trampoline.Here's him in action;-

Kaden's coming along

We haven't updated lately as i'm getting very lazy!!Kaden is coming along well and growing every day.We had a hospital appointmant on Thursday last week at the respiritory clinic and they were very pleased with Kadens progress.Kaden was weighed and had his height done.Kaden weighs 17lbs 10 oz and his height is 69.3 c.m.Kaden was under th 50 percentile all along,but now he is above the 50 percentile.He said Kadens torso looked quite simetrical from the front but looked as if from the back his spine was moved over slightly to the right.He said this wouldn't effect Kaden it was with all his organs being in his chest pushing his spine slightly over so its curved a bit.The doctor we saw says generally Kaden has done so well and coped ok in the winter with his chest so he said instead of seeing him on a regular basis he would see him in 12 months time - unless we had any issues.

Wednesday 28th May

Here's Kaden tonight on the phone - chillin!!

Poor Kaden is still full of the cold.During the night he's been sleeping well,but first thing in the morning when he wakes up he gaggs and chokes a bit and has had some glit come up.Hopefuly he's over the worst now and will only get better!

Kaden also had a trip to the dentist today with his big sister as she had to get a tooth out.He seemed quite amused by it all,although he might not be so amused when it's his turn one day.

'Happy 10 Months Kaden'

Happy ten months Kaden!!It's so hard to believe our little special man is ten months old today.It's been a long emotional rollercoaster.But thankfully we 're over the hill and Kadens coming along great!Althoughthis week during the night he's been quite unsettled and restless.So on Friday i took him to the doctors and they gave him an antibiotic as he has a cold and runny nose.The doctor said its not in his chest,but he'd give us antibiotics for over the weekend in case we needed them and he said to start them anytime i felt i needed to.So on Saturday i went for the medicine and started them in the evening and since then he's had really bad diaorrea.So today i think i'll stop them and see how he gets on - it's worse at night as he finds it hard to breathe when he lies down.Apart from the cold Kaden is doing well.

Some pictures of Kaden

Kaden loving a mess!!

Here's the boss of our house

Kaden This Weekend

Mr Bossy...and his 3 teeth...

Kaden and Iggle Piggle...

Cheeky Face...

Kaden in his pushchair...

Thursday 15th May

Kaden had the hospital yesterday for the physio.She worked with Kaden for around 30 mins.And showed me some movements we should do with him when we get home.Kaden has just started sitting properly in the last fornight which she was quite pleased about,and she said he has good upper body control.We have to work on getting Kaden to twist his upper torso more i.e when changing him-pull him up with one hand and make him work more.And boy was he mad!!He winged and cried the whole time - looking at me for sympathy!Kadens a real mums boy at the moment and i cant go anywhere or do anything without him as he just constantly cries if i put him down or go into another room.The physio wants to see Kaden in 4 weeks to keep an eye on his progress and keep working on his strength.

Kadzer

Sunday 4th May

Here's Kaden today wth his sisters.

Saturday 3rd May

Kaden has been coming along well this past wee while.He has 2 teeth now,and has mastered how to sit up unaided - although sometimes he keels over.He also can go sideways in his babywalker now too.And the other day i came across the girls old door bouncer which he just LOVES!!Here's a few pic's of Kaden over the last week or so.

Sunday 27th April

I'm getting really lazy these days with kadens blog - although saying that sometimes its finding the time!Kaden is really clingy these days and i cant get any household chores done(good excuse!!)As soon as i move out of the room or put him in his bouncer he cries.We had a follow up appointment at the hospital on Wednesday and Kadens upto 15lbs13oz.He put on over a 1lb in 2 weeks which is the most hes ever put on - the dietition had told me to increase his feed,so i guess thats helped.Kaden gets 3 x 80ml bolus feeds a day and 50ml x 12hours overnight so overall he gets 840mls a day.Also the surgeon and the dietition said i have to push his oral feeding more - which i am trying(some days are better than others.)Kaden has got some granulation tissue appearing which the doctor isn't concerned about.We dont have to see the surgeon until July,and we have the physio in May and the respiritory doctor in June.Today we are having a lazy day the sun is shining and we are just lazing around the garden.He is a picture of Kaden today in the garden.

Thursday 17th April

Kaden was at the hospital yesterday getting his button and granulation tissue checked.Last week the doctor gave me vasilene and silver nitrate home with me to burn off kadens granulation tissue which i had to do for a week.The doctor was pleased with the site where the granulation tissue was as it had decreased and he told me to stop using the silver nitrate.Because they had fitted the button when Kaden had the granulation tissue it meant the button was too loose so they replaced his botton with a smaller one -2.0.Our next appointment is next Wednesday.

The weekend

Kadens been really good this weekend.feeding him by the button he just lies there,unlike the g tube he used to whine continualy.Maybe with the gastrostomy he had before it was in his stomach further and was uncomfortable - who knows?But so far so good with this new button,the only gripe i have is when you have to run the milk through the tube before conecting it to his button as its not easy doing it all with 1 pair of hands - holding the syringe on the end of the tube and holding the connecter and pouring the milk in the syringe and running it through the pipe til it gets to the bottom of the pipe and closing the pipe off in time before all the milk runs out the end!You have to run the milk through 1st to save Kaden getting a tube full of air before he gets his milk.Once we ve mastered the 1st part its the connecting the tube to his button with a syringe with milk in thats no so easy either - but once connected its alot more secure i find than the g-tube,and if he whines i can shut off the connecter and the milk doesn't come back up the tube.I suppose it'll just take time to get used to the change in feeding but overall i think its going to be easier.Here's some pics of Kaden this weekend

Saturday 12th April

Kadens had a busy week with attending hospital.He had a Neo- Natal check up on Thursday to check his progress.Kadens weight is now 14lbs 10oz and his length is 68.1c.m.Overall the doctor said he was a bit concerned kaden hadn't grown too much and his head size seemed the same,but generally he had done well overall with all the hurdles he's faced so far in life.He said he would keep an eye on Kadens height and hopefully it will sort its self out.The doctor was South African and said he had just returned to South Africa when kaden was born but he had heard all about him over the phone and he said he was glad he finally got to meet him.He also said he does a study on CDH babies and Kaden has come on really well as far as his respiritory goes.He listened to his chest and said he has no breathing issues at all- which is a relief.When we were at the hospital we also met up with a friend how had a baby at the same time as Kaden and was born at 2lbs.It was great to see how well she had done and how shes grown.Talia his friend is now upto 13lbs 15oz!Shes not far behind kaden weight wise!!We also met a lady i know who had triplets at 28 weeks,they were there at the chest clinic and its amazing to see how well they are doing and there turning 3 in June.Heres Kaden at the hospital in the waiting area.And also a picture of Kadens new button.

My 1st tooth

I almost forgot with our hectic day, to mention - Kadens 1st tooth popped through today!!When we were at the hospital the nurse mentioned,do isee a tooth there.But Kaden wasn't too happy at the time so i forgot all about it till we got home.And when he was lying on the bed and i was changing him and getting his feeds sorted out i noticed a little white tooth popping through his bottom gum.No wonder my poor boy has been unsettled and slivering all the time!!So what started off as a bad day only got better!!

Wednesday 9th April

Back home from our holidays on Monday after having a real relaxing break!Kaden loved the heat and seemed to cope really well.The weather since we got home has been raining,sleet and really depressing.Last night Kaden was unsettled during the night and woke up twice,so at 3.30a.m i decided to take him in to our bed.Around 6.15a.m kadens machine bleeped to go off so i switched it off with the idea of feeding him again around 1 1/2hours later.We fell back asleep and woke around 8.30a.m and i went to change his nappy to find his gastrostomy tube had came out!I couldn't believe it.And it looked to me as if it had closed up!!With that the hospital had called to confirm i was going up for them to have a look at his granulation tissue - and all i could do was cry to our nurse about his tube coming out and looking as if it had closed up.She told me to wrap him up and head for the hospital.I got Kaden ready and headed off to the hospital dreading the outcome(i was terrified he'd have to get an anesthetic to get another one put in).When i got to the hospital i headed for the surgical ward where the nurse was waiting for us and she took us to the treatment room.The plan was to try to put another tube back in without having to go to theatre.Luckily the nurse managed 1st time with a smaller tube than he'd had in but it was really just to keep the hole open.Once the tube was in she said she was going to measure Kaden for a button.She removed the tube and inserted a botton to measure the size Kaden needed and replaced Kadens gastrostomy with a button.(All babies are different as far as the amount of fat they have so this depends on the size of button needed.)Kaden also has alot of granulation tissue which needs to be burnt off-so today the doctor showed me how to do it and gave me some silver nitrate sticks home to use on it every day for a week,then next Wednesday we have to go back and see how things are.We also have the low birthweight clinic tommorrow at the hospital so it will be interesting to see how heavy Kaden is these days!?Here's kaden having a snooze at lunchtime today after all the commotion.

Kadens 1st holiday